Legacy
by SpOoKyMuLdEr1
Summary: -NOW FINISHED!- “I understand that you think I am different now, because I am. But I am still your little girl. I would never hurt you.” (thought it was time for a new teaser quote)
1. chapter 1

This is just the first part of what looks to be a very, very long story. So read and tell me what you think… please.

Also, special thanks to trickhayden for all the brainstorming time (and inspiring the 'Lisa goes to University' thing, oh, and the Charl**IE** thing.)

So anyway, here goes…

Legacy: chapter 1 

* * *

The rain tapping on the window was hypnotic. Lisa Keys watched the little streams of water trickle down, collecting into larger rivers then spilling out onto the sill. 

She listened intently to the sounds as everything else in the room faded from her thoughts. They began to create a rhythm in her head. She picked out an individual beat and tapped her pen in time, her notebook becoming a drum. 

Her days in the band came flooding back all at once. She loved the drums, still did; just didn't have the time or the will to get them out and dust them off.

Something about them always seemed soothing, almost therapeutic. Maybe it was the act of hitting something, getting her aggression out. Maybe it was just the texture of the sounds. Lisa just knew she missed it sometimes, especially on days like today.

"Okay, it's about that time." The Professors voice and the stirring of the rest of the class jarred Lisa back into reality. 

"Next time we'll begin talking about Mr. Jean Piaget, one of my favorites." Dr. Tammy Miller stood behind the podium at the front of the room, gathering her notes into a neat pile, "stay warm, and dry." 

The class began filling out slowly, everyone's moods in tune with the weather. Lisa could relate, She always felt bad on days like today. 

Tammy sat at her desk preparing the notes for her next class. She glanced up to see Lisa approaching.

"How's my favorite student this morning?" she asked cheerfully.

"Fine, I guess," Lisa's voice was a monotonous drone, "you wanted to see me about the demonstration?"

Tammy leaned back in her chair and studied Lisa's face for a moment; searching for meaning in her tone, Lisa knew.

"Yeah, I have the information here," she pulled a stapled stack of printouts from her brief case and handed them to Lisa.

"All you have to do is stand up here and help our little research subject, I'll narrate for the class."

"Oh, okay," Lisa flipped the cover page back, its heading read 'Piagets conservation task'. Her eyes scanned down the first page.

"Thank you for volunteering, I'm glad I didn't have to pick someone at random." Tammy said, Lisa continued studying the packet.

"Michael and I had a great time the other night," Tammy paused, her friend seemed to be intensely interested in Mr. Piagets experiment, "uh, Lisa?"

"What?" Lisa looked up, startled, "Oh, I'm sorry."

Tammy reached over and closed her brief case, glanced back up at Lisa, "Are you feeling okay?" 

"Yeah, I'm fine." Lisa turned away, her eyes falling on the window and the scenery outside. "Its just-," a single tear started forming in the corner of her eye, she wiped it away, "-The weather." 

"It has been rather nasty recently," Tammy agreed. She had known Lisa long enough to know exactly what she really was thinking about, she decided not to put her on the spot though, "you should go home and take a break, forget about school for the weekend."

Lisa managed a weak smile, "Doctors orders?" 

"Yes," Tammy laughed.

"Okay," Lisa turned to leave; "I'll see you Monday."

* * *

The whole way home the only thing Lisa could think about was the rain… and Allie, but she tried to focus on the rain. The moisture permeated every moment of her and Charlie's existence. It was so depressing, like no matter what you did, where you went, the wetness would follow you. 

Maybe they should move, get away from Seattle, away from the wetness. They could find a place where it couldn't follow. But what's the use? There's always something else to run away from. 

__

It's not such a big deal anyway, Lisa thought, _just rain._

The car sat, parked in her own driveway, her hands were frozen on the wheel. She had just pulled into the driveway, but She couldn't remember driving home at all, she was just here. 

__

What was it called? She tried to remember. They had talked about this very thing in class.

__

Disassociative experience! Yeah! That's what it's… called. 

Lisa caught herself; she had been doing that more and more recently. Recognizing strange behaviors then analyzing them. Applying a psychological term to every thought, every emotion. That was probably a disorder in its self, She sometimes thought. 

Tammy was right, take a break. Stop thinking about school. Stop thinking about everything.

Charlie wouldn't be home for several hours. Most days she would just work on homework, read, read some more. Not today. 

She tossed her bag on the table, headed for the living room couch. A tough decision awaited her. Television, or music? 

Music, of course. There was never anything good on TV this time of day. She headed for the CD player, The case for her favorite CD was empty. 

__

Still in the changer, she thought, hit play and headed back to the couch.

Several moments passed before Lisa noticed that nothing was playing. She saw the display flashing 'no disk'. 

"Charlie…" She mumbled, he must have reorganized the CD's, not that he had ever done it before. There's always a first time for everything_._

She opened the cabinet in the bottom of the entertainment center and flipped through jewel cases, picked the one she wanted. It was empty. She chose another one, it was Empty too… they were all empty. 

Several minutes and a quick house inspection later, she discovered that all the videos were gone too, along with the TV/VCR from the kitchen.

* * *

Charlie walked in several hours later to find the house in disarray. He sat his bag, heavy with papers to grade, down in the entryway and laid his coat over it.

"Lisa?" he called down the hall, he saw a shadow pass by in the light from the bedroom. 

Lisa stuck her head around the door, "down here."

"What are you doing?" Charlie asked before walking down the hall toward their bedroom. The door to Allie's room, or the room they had set up for her if -- no -- when she returned, was cracked open several inches. Gently, he pulled it shut, hoping that Lisa didn't go in there. Sometimes she got upset looking at all little things, little memories that were left of their daughter. 

"Looking for something." Lisa answered as Charlie entered the room. She was bent over digging through a dresser drawer, occasionally tossing a shirt or other article of clothing over her shoulder. 

"Looking for what?" Charlie asked. He looked around the area where Lisa was standing; piles of clothing and other items dotted the floor. 

"Something," Lisa repeated, slid her current drawer closed and moved on to the next.

Charlie watched her for a minute. He was worried now; this was exactly how it started last time. Any small occurrence would set her off on wild tangents for no reason at all. 

Lisa stopped searching the drawer. Her face started to turn red. Charlie knew she must have realized what she was doing, and what it looked like to him. She took a deep, unsteady breath, then: "Some things are missing," her voice almost broke, "I am going to find them."

"What _things_," Charlie sat down on the bed, motioned for her to join him, "are you feeling alright?"

"Yes, Charlie. I'm fine. I just…" Lisa moved toward the bed, "I just came home, and all the CD's were gone and the videos and the TV/VCR thing… and I…" She flopped down beside him, "I don't think we were robbed." 

"What?" 

Lisa sighed, "go see for yourself…" 

Charlie looked into her eyes; they spoke of the confusion within her own mind, he could relate. There was a time when he too had felt controlled by something he couldn't see, couldn't touch, and damn well couldn't fight back against although he had tried. All this had twisted his thoughts into tortured pretzels of confused links between meaningless pieces of information, and he also knew from this that Lisa was just as disturbed by her own behavior as he was. 

He got up and walked back down the hall. Glancing in the kitchen, the TV/VCR combo on the counter was right where it was when he left that morning. After making his way past the jumble of furniture in the living room, he opened the little doors in the bottom of the entertainment center. All the CD's were there, in their cases, right alongside the videos. 

Holding one of the cases in his hand, he looked back down the hall. It was much more than being slightly disturbed by Lisa's behavior, now he was scared. Allies departure had torn Lisa up. It had hit him hard as well, but that was five years ago. How long does the grieving process last for someone who's not even dead? 

__

Maybe it has something to do with Lisa and Allies mind link thing; maybe it's out of range. Charlie tried his best to make sense of it in a way that was comfortable. Not that he was comfortable with anything he had been through. _Lisa is one forth… them, after all, _he reminded himself. 

Charlie came back into the bedroom holding a CD and videotape. 

Lisa bolted up from the bed, "where did you find those!"

Charlie returned to his previous spot, Lisa sank back down beside him, grabbed the things he held and inspected them. They were real… 

"They were in the cabinet… where we keep them," Charlie said calmly, "Are you sure you're feeling okay?" 

"I don't know Charlie." Lisa cupped her hands around her face. "I… they were gone!" she said, her voice muffled. 

"I know," Charlie wrapped his arm around her.

Lisa's head shot up, she balled her hands into fists: "I know they were! I opened every – single - one!"

"I believe you," Charlie calmed her. He took one of her hands, un-balled it tenderly and intertwined his fingers with hers. "Have you… thought about maybe talking to your friend, Dr. Miller, again?"

Lisa's eyes pierced Charlie like needles. The split second she made eye contact Charlie could feel her pain, the inner turmoil that had been eating at her for so long. 

She turned away, shook her head, "it doesn't work like that, we're friends now…"

"Oh," Charlie looked away, momentarily confused, "shows what I know about psychology." 

Lisa's expression softened a bit.

Both of them sat quietly for a while. Charlie tried to think of words to say to make everything all better. He needed to do something to take Lisa's mind off what was troubling her. 

"Hey, I got an idea," he jumped up, "lets go out and… go to the movies… or something."

Lisa glanced up at the clock on the wall, back to Charlie, "its 4:30, you want to go out now?"

"Sure, why not?"

Lisa's eyes scanned the room around her, "but this mess, I have to…"

"No," Charlie interrupted, "don't even worry about it, I'll clean it up when we get back."

"Okay…" Lisa said reluctantly, "yeah, movies, that sounds fun." She forced a smile, even though she didn't feel happy at all.

Charlie seemed too excited, he had a big goofy grin across his face; that made Lisa feel a little bit better. He had been great at that, making her feel better. It seemed that every time a sad thought crept up, there was Charlie, saying or doing something that made her forget all about it. Lisa was grateful that Charlie had stayed with her. He didn't have to, with Allie gone there was no real tie between them. 

Charlie had said that it felt wrong for them to not be together. Lisa felt that way too. She also knew that without him, she had no idea where she would be. An institution, or… 

__

No! Don't even think that! She forced the disturbing thought away, _that's the cowards way out._

Charlie peeked around the door, "I'm ready whenever you are." 

"Okay," Lisa sat on the bed, still staring at the mess she had created. Charlie went back to the living room.

__

What's wrong with me? She asked herself, as if the answer was in her head just waiting for the question to be asked. A term started to emerge but she stopped it,

__

No more self-analysis!

Her mind cleared suddenly, she forgot what she was thinking about. Like refusing that urge to define her behavior forced everything away. 

That wasn't it… it was something else, an energy. She could feel it strongly, moving all around her. It was a new and frightening sensation; but it felt, right, in a way. 

Lisa jumped to her feet with a new spark, a sense of purpose that she had lost long ago. She walked toward the bathroom, Each step was forceful, deliberate. Not like she was being lead around like before, she was leading.

__

What's wrong with me now? She thought, confused but also exhilarated by this new feeling of power.

Lisa closed the bathroom door behind her, looked in the mirror. She studied her face, the bags under her eyes had disappeared and she looked… happy. There was a smile on her face and she wasn't even trying.

Several seconds passed in silence before she noticed that the mirror had started vibrating, along with the bottles on the counter and everything else. It sounded like a buzz, a hum, from far away. But it grew steadily louder, closer.

Charlie yelled something from the other room; she couldn't make it out. The vibration had become substantial shaking by now, the only thing Lisa could think was 

__

Earthquake!

She braced herself as best she could in the shower stall. The hum grew louder and more intense, the shaking along with it. Then, all at once, everything stopped; followed by a power outage and dead silence.

"Charlie?" Lisa yelled, "are you okay?"

The lights flickered back on. Everything in the bathroom was still in one piece. 

She got out quickly; the bedroom was still intact as well. The big poster, on the wall opposite the bed, was still hanging. Blowing on it was enough to knock it down sometimes. Lisa reached out and touched it, bringing it crashing down just as she thought it would.

Lisa turned; she heard something, "Charlie?"

There it was again; it sounded like… a girl's voice. Lisa moved down the hall, curiosity peeked. She stopped cold as she entered the living room. 

Charlie stood facing her; his face was blank and pale, as if he'd just seen a ghost. And there _was _a girl, her arms wrapped around him. Lisa's heart skipped a beat as recognition came; she didn't even need to see the girl's face.

Charlie stirred a little. He looked at Lisa and his lips started to curl into a smile, but his eyes were glossed over, like he wasn't awake. 

"Allie, is this one your mother?" A young female voice said from Lisa's right. Her eyes immediately shifted in the direction of the voice. Another girl was standing in the kitchen. 

"Yes, she is," the girl answered herself after seeing Lisa's face.

A powerful force enveloped Lisa's body without warning. It was like the energy from a few minutes ago but it was focused, coming from a point right in front of her and wrapping around her. She looked back toward Charlie but found Allie's piercing blue eyes instead, locked with hers. 

Lisa tried to move, tried to speak; but it was no use. She looked past Allie and could see Charlie but his form was obscured, his movements slow and exaggerated. 

Her vision narrowed into a single point of light, then rapidly expanded into an image of herself, with Charlie. Lisa realized it was Allies view from that night five years ago. 

The blinding light that Lisa remembered from that night flared up all around her. She looked down at her feet, she was still standing, but her body was rushing through a tunnel. Images flew bye so quickly, she could only make out fleeting glimpses of color but somehow, she knew what she was seeing. Her mind was being filled with these images.

Memories, they were recorded memories, Allies memories. Awe-inspiring visions of the wonders of the universe. Their meaning was clear to her although she didn't know it yet. Her subconscious mind already understood perfectly, while her conscious thoughts struggled to make sense of it all. Allie was making up for lost time, giving Lisa and Charlie all her experiences and taking theirs. She also understood that this was a traditional greeting used by travelers.

__

Travelers, what? Lisa questioned. Where was this coming from? Her head was filled with strange words, ideas, sounds and smells. 

She came to the end of the tunnel with a mind-numbing thud as her vision widened, returning her to the living room; first through Allie's eyes then her own. 

Allie backed up several paces; Lisa gazed directly into her eyes but could not speak. She had so much to say but… for some reason, she didn't need to say anything at all. It felt like she had been there with Allie the whole time. There really _was_ nothing to say.

The energy started to diminish. Allie took a deep breath then exhaled, forcing it lower. Lisa could feel the field coming from Allie weakening. 

"I'm home, mom." Allie said. She stepped back toward Lisa, hugging her tight, normal this time. 

Lisa lifted her hand, gently brushing the tips of her fingers against the golden blond head resting on her chest.

She still could not speak, she was really trying now. Her mouth silently formed the words that were in her mind but no sounds could be produced.

Allie stepped back again, "it's alright, you'll be fine in a minute."

"Here is one we forgot." Lisa shifted her eyes back toward the unknown girl, who was now holding one of her CDs. Allie took it, walked over to the entertainment center and carefully placed it back in its case. Then she glanced back over at Charlie and Lisa, both standing, staring unblinkingly of into the vastness of their new memories.

"Maybe that wasn't a good idea," Allie said, speaking mostly to herself, "help me sit them down Ka'len."

"Yes," Ka'len said with all her mechanical enthusiasm. Allie led her dad to the couch, Ka'len brought Lisa and sat her down beside him. "Their minds will need time to adjust," Ka'len told Allie.

"I know," Allie replied. 

"How much did you show them?" 

"Not much."

Ka'len thought for a moment, or paused, thinking was instantaneous for her, said: "will you tell them of the future?"

"The future is intangible, Ka'len. Just because we have plans to follow does not mean that this will all turn out the way we want it to."

Ka'len cocked her head, "that is not what I asked."

Allie grinned, "no, I won't tell them why we're here… yet." 

Ka'len's expression remained blank and emotionless but Allie knew from experience that her friend understood, she had learned to sense the trace energy patterns that signaled unseen emotion and mental processes in all creatures, human, _Xe_ and animal. It was one of her many newly developed abilities, as much terrifying and confusing as it was fun. They all said this was part of who she was, that the hybridization process was unlocking the full potential of the human mind. Allie didn't care, she just wished it would all go away, her alien abilities were weird enough.

"Allie…" Ka'len spoke up.

"Yes?"

"May I have another one of those 'cokes'?" Ka'len asked.

Allie smiled, "sure," she looked to her parents sitting on the couch, Lisa's eyes were fixed on her but they were still glossed over, "how long do you think…" She glanced over to where Ka'len had been standing, heard the refrigerator open in the kitchen. A bigger grin spread across Allie's face; it wasn't too surprising, Ka'len always took everything so literal. 

* * *

Hope you liked it. Please review! And, catch me on AIM at: CAtrox123 to chat about Taken, Aliens, other sci-fi stuff, or just how much life sucks in general (j/k on that last one, really… I'm fine).


	2. chapter 2

Legacy: chapter 2

* * *

"Wow, talk about icy." Keith Sheppard stood in an observation room looking into the small questioning room where Mary Crawford sat, motionless, staring back at the one way mirror.

"Good luck. She never talks to anyone." An officer said as he unlocked the door to let Keith in.

"Oh, I have my methods." Keith grinned innocently.

The guard shrugged, repeated: "good luck."

Stepping into the room, Keith immediately felt a chill in the air, part of him wanted to think that it was coming from Mary but he knew better than that. There was still something strange about this woman though.

"You're probably wondering why I'm here." He said as he took a seat in the chair across from Mary.

"No, not really." she smirked; Mary knew how this worked. These 'games' were a major event for her, a chance to use her vast knowledge and analytical mind to confuse the hell out of these… people. They all thought they were so smart, like they had her all figured out. They knew shit about her and what she had seen. If any one of them was to catch a glimpse of it, she knew they would be paralyzed by the same fear that gripped her.

"Let's get to the point then." Keith said, reached in his portfolio case and pulled out a manila folder, started reading silently.

After several minutes passed, he laid the folder down on the table, started reading it to Mary: "name: Mary Crawford. Father: Eric Crawford, deceased in an… unfortunate friendly fire incident. Very sad." He looked up to gage her reaction. Mary anticipated this move and hardened her expression so as not to show any sign of emotion.

"Hmm," Keith continued, "five years into a twenty-five year prison term for murder-" he glanced up with a mischievous smile on his face, "-you've been a bad girl now haven't you?"

Mary glared at him, she knew very well why she was in this place, and she would do anything to take it back. For a chance to not pull that trigger, or even turn the gun on herself, she knew she disserved it for all she had done.

"Ooh, what's this here?" Keith asked.

_Ooh! Why don't you tell me? Moron_.Mary thought.

"It says here that you were part of a special investigative unit in the FBI; Alien abductions, UFO investigations… spooky stuff." Keith relaxed a little, it should be easy to get her to talk now. He watched her face as she obviously struggled to find the right way to ask: 'just how the hell did you find that out'.

"What do you want?" Mary said, agitated. Keith took the opportunity to add some more suspense, he slowly closed the folder and tenderly slid it back into his case, taking care not to bend the corners even slightly.

He looked back up at her, "How did he find that out?" he said mockingly. "I have my sources, Miss Crawford. I know plenty about you… and your family."

"You think you know me?"

"Yes, yes I do."

"Then who are these sources?"

"No, no, no." he chided, "then I wouldn't have my secrets would I?" 

"So… why should I care at all?" Mary snapped, clearly angered and at a loss for a way to handle this conversation. Keith could tell that Mary like to control things and this was driving her crazy, he knew something that she didn't. The urge to get up and say: 'I know something you don't know! Nah nah!' crept up but he subdued it, remaining professional.

"What do you want?!" Mary repeated her earlier demand angrily.

Instead of saying a word, Keith reached down to his case and pulled out a second folder, slid it across the table. Mary slammed her hand down on it, keeping it from hitting the floor on her side.

"Take a look." Keith said, leaned back in his chair, elbows on the armrests and hands clasped in front of his mouth to cover a smile that was forming.

Inside the folder there was nothing but three surveillance photos and a short report. Mary took one of the pictures and studied it for a moment, then looked up at Keith: "is this supposed to mean something to me?"

Keith stifled a laugh, said: "look closer."

The picture was just a normal teenage girl, fourteen or fifteen with long blond hair, slender face, blue eyes and about five-foot-two. It wasn't ringing any bells, just an average girl. But Mary's eyes fell on a word on the page below, a name: 'Allie Keys'.

A startled gasp escaped her; she shot her eyes up to Keith, who was obviously enjoying himself very much, then back to the picture. It **was** her, the little girl she had tried so hard to get a hold of, and, had succeeded in doing so on several occasions. Her mind was now filled with thousands of questions, but which one first?

"How… when was this picture taken?"

"About ten hours ago."

Mary felt a wave of excitement pass over her, she had felt so bad that night when Allie had gone, even worse then shooting Chet. Those poor people lost their daughter almost solely due to her actions. Now she had come back to them. Mary could finally cross that whole ugly episode off her ever-growing list of things she wished she'd never done.

"Why are you showing me this?"

"An excellent question!" Keith reached into his case and pulled out a third folder, "would you like to see what's behind door number three?" he grinned.

Mary stared at him blankly. "I think you do…" Keith said, opened the folder and took out two sheets of paper, handed one to her.

After glancing at the heading, Mary knew what it was: a copy of her criminal record.

"Kind of nasty looking, huh?" Keith grinned, "try this one on for size." He handed her the one he held.

Mary looked at it briefly, noticing one glaring difference. It was completely clean! Not even one traffic ticket. She looked back up at him confused.

"Which one looks better?" Keith paused, then laughed at himself. "Stupid question… which one would you rather have on file?… I guess that's a stupid question too."

"What's your point?"

"My point? Its quite simple really, I want you to work with me." 

"Doing what?"

"You are just full of questions aren't you?" Keith said, "the real point is: I need you to help me, I have been assigned head of a new division at the… well that's not important yet… but what is important is that if you work for me, I can make all the nastiness in your past disappear."

Mary leaned back and considered what he had told her. "What will this new division do, exactly?"

"Well, first we need to catch that girl." he pointed to the picture of Allie lying in front of Mary.

No way! Mary did not want to be involved in that again. That family had been through enough hell by her hand. Answers were no concern of her or any other government agency, everyone will know what the aliens know soon enough, giving humanity that type of knowledge at this point would be catastrophic.

"And what if I don't want too?" Mary asked.

Keith sat up, the playful expression fading from his face. "Then I guess I wasted my time." He said as he gathered his folders and began to leave.

_This man can play the game, _Mary thought. She had seconds to make her decision before he was out the door.

_If I help him, there's no telling what might happen to that poor kid…but, if I make him think I'm helping him, I could warn Allie and her family._

"Wait!" Mary called after him, Keith stopped at the door and turned. "I'll do it," she said decisively.

Keith smiled, "I knew you would." He walked back to her, extending his hand, "Agent Keith Sheppard, N.S.A."

* * *

Half an hour later Mary was almost a free woman, all that was left was to pick up her clothes and a few other things. Keith watched from his seat down the hall while she stood at the claims counter waiting on the impossibly slow inventory clerk. Something about her made Keith continue staring. Mary hadn't looked too terribly attractive in the dim lighting of the interrogation room but the bright hallway lighting emphasized certain parts of her figure. She didn't look all that bad to him now, Keith knew he could definitely get better, and had, but this Mary was well worth a shot.

The sharp electronic ringing of his cell phone startled him, quickly breaking off the erotic thoughts brewing in his head. He lifted the phone from his coats inner pocket, turned it on

"Shep-pard," he coughed to clear his throat, "Sheppard here." 

"Did you secure the asset?" said a rough, older male voice over the static of the phones bad reception, Keith got up and walked to the nearest window.

"Yes, she bought the cover story." Keith answered the query, his voice loosing all traces of playfulness and taking on a manner of cold efficiency.

"Good," the voice rasped, then hesitated, "you are not on your way to the airport yet?"

Keith cast a casual glance down at his watch, "no, I'm almost done here."

More hesitation from the other end of the call, then: "the timing is very critical."

Keith rolled his eyes back; the old man was trying to tell him how to run things again. "I designed the plan, Mister Richards, there are time buffers for this."

"Your _plan_ has yet to commence, the buffers are…"

"I don't like your tone, Richards. Are you forgetting who's in charge?"

"No-no sir, I just."

"Do you remember what happened to Matthews? He forgot the chain of command."

"Yes… it was, ah, an unfortunate accident." The old mans voice wavered, terrified by now, Keith decided to play a bit.

"You have beautiful grandchildren, Mister Richards, it would be a shame if anything should happen to them."

"I…"

"So many – things -- can happen to children. Don't you agree?"

"Yes sir, many things…" Richards said, his voice now a model of resigned obedience.

Keith glanced back down the hall, saw Mary walking toward him in a nice business suite. "I'm glad we understand each other, I have to go." He turned off the phone and slipped it back in his pocket.

"All ready?" He said in the most cheerful way he could force out after that conversation.

"Yeah, I guess." Mary hesitated, the mistrust very clear in her voice. Keith knew he would have to clue her in on part of the real plan to ease her suspicions, but how much, and when? Were the questions. For now, he just had to get her to Seattle. If the rest of the plan fell apart he could still use her.

"My truck's just out front." He motioned to the door with his right hand, leading Mary around with his left.

"I always thought the NSA was just a bunch of egg headed, mathematician code-breakers." 

Keith had to laugh at her obvious attempt to insult him, "yes, that is what we _officially _do." He smiled knowingly at Mary, "but you should know how easy it is to hide things from a congressional budget committee." 

Mary grinned, "like five-hundred dollar bolts and thousand dollar hammers?"

"Yeah… try ten-thousand dollar base-ball caps, that's more like it."

Mary chuckled and shook her head, "I'd like one of those!"

"Ah, the joys of misappropriations, but what we really should talk about is just how much you know about this girl."

"Do I know anything more then you?" Mary asked, evading the subject.

"You've been close to her, seen her abilities… just what kind of threat does she pose?"

"I don't know that she poses a threat." Mary said, looked away from Keith. She was uncomfortable with this line of questioning but it was to be expected. What use was she to this man other than the information and the first hand experience she carried?

They both stepped off into the parking lot; Keith was leading her toward a shiny black suburban, the only civilian looking vehicle around so she guessed that this was his 'truck'.

"I read the reports, her powers, she must be dangerous." Keith continued.

"Dangerous? Allie? She's just a kid…" Mary paused, "well, there was that gas station."

"Yeah, that truck was completely burned out." Keith said as if he had been at the scene, Mary knew he wasn't. "Oh well, we have plenty of time to talk along the way." Keith opened the door for Mary when they reached the truck, she climbed in while he rounded the front and jumped in the driver side.

* * *

Several minutes later they were waiting behind a laundry truck at the exit as guards searched through all the bags as a precaution. It made sense to Mary, she had seen the same movies millions of others have seen, she just wasn't stupid enough to try to escape in a laundry bag. Besides, where could she have gone, she had no family left to speak of and the only two men who had ever cared for her were both dead by her own hand. The irony was not lost on her; she ended up destroying everything she cared about. Now she cared about helping Allie. Would she end up destroying her too?

Mary studied Keith's face; so cold, hardened, but his personality was the complete opposite. This was part of a plan, there was no other explanation. Mary just wondered what part she was playing.

"Where are we going?" She finally broke the silence. 

"To the airport," Keith glanced over, "you didn't think we were going to drive to Seattle did you?"

Mary returned to silence, settled her gaze on the guards outside, finishing up their search of the laundry truck. When the big panel van finally pulled away Keith wasted no time. The suburban lurched forward, tires squealed slightly as it came to a stop again by the guard shack. In one smooth motion, Keith pulled his NSA identification from his coat, flashed it to the guard. Without a second look the guard opened the draw bar and waved them through.

_Impressive,_ Mary thought. The temptation started growing within her to stay on with this guy, hand Allie over to him on a silver platter for what ever they had planned. But, she couldn't ignore the images that kept flashing in her head of that night in Texas, how heart breaking it had been to watch. No, Mary was determined to make things right. And what better way then from the inside? 

"How did you get those pictures?" Mary asked, glancing down at the folder carelessly propped in-between the seats.

"We had a surveillance team watching the parents from the time the project was handed to us." Keith told her, "we anticipated this event."

"How many others are on this project?"

"Just me, my field team and you." Keith said, "we are prepared to call in a airforce Special Forces unit if the threat is to great and we have to, uh, get the girl in other ways." He glanced over at her questioningly, "why do you ask?"

"Just need to know what we have at our disposal." Mary lied, she need to know how many people would be in the way of her of doing what she had decided must be done. 


	3. chapter 3

Legacy: chapter 3

* * *

__

Too much… the phrase echoed through Allie's head over and over. She was being expected to do way too much. The thought of it all! To 'gently' introduce an entire planet, full of different countries, cultures, and religions to the existence of extraterrestrial life! And then tell them that those Aliens want to initiate friendly relations on a global scale. Just fathoming the scope of her mission gave Allie a throbbing headache. A pain that was only amplified by the fact that she was on her own, know one else can know until the time is right, not even Ka'len, who had been sent to assist. 

__

Assist with what?

For all her knowledge and insight into their ways, Allie could not understand the reasoning behind this. Send an assistant who cannot be told what she is assisting with? It was an aberration to logical thought, a trait which Allie believed the Xean high council immune. Had they had a lapse in judgment or was she in error? 

Could they have a lapse in judgment? 

No! Of course not. There had to be something Allie was missing, some minute misinterpretation. It would have been easy enough; the extremely efficient manner the Xe use to communicate leaves little room for error in understanding, if your mind works like theirs. Even with their parts in her genetic make-up, Allie's brain still functions mainly as a humans, and is prone to the errors in communication that occur so frequently on earth.

It would be easy enough to find her error, just remember the conversation with John, when he had told her the council's decision.

He had come up behind her as she gazed out at the endless expanse of shinny metal structures, all tinged pink by the setting star. "Earth is ready." He said plainly.

She had already known the subject of council debate so the cryptic statement was understood.

She suppressed a squeal, remembering the anti-noise ordinance in the council seat "Really? I… can go back?" 

"Yes, you are instructed to pick one…"

"You!"

"No," he shook his head, "I must attend to other duties."

"Ka'len, then."

"She is acceptable, but you must not tell her the reason."

"Why not?" Allie asked puzzled, "If she is an assistant then she should know…"

"It is important," they both glanced out momentarily as a gigantic _Trasligher _roared over the top of the building, heading for a docking tower in the distance. John continued as if it had just been an insect crawling on the window: "no one can know until the diplomatic envoy is in position."

"Envoy… but I thought…"

John stiffened up, receiving a transmission to his auditory nerve implant.

"What is it?" Allie asked. 

"I am sorry, I must go." John started moving toward the nearest transporter array at the end of the corridor

"But, you didn't…"

"You have studied the records of past contacts. You will succeed." With that, he stepped into the energy field, his body dematerialized for immediate transport to his ship, the _Sally, _Allie thought it was cute that he named the _Staris_ class craft after her great grandmother.

__

Nope, no miscommunication there, Allie returned to the present with the image of that pink sunset still in her minds eye… But it still made no sense. 

Maybe the thing to do is not think about it, let things happen like they're supposed to. But what happens when the mission Ka'len believes they're on starts to get off track following the hidden, real plan. She will ask questions.

__

I don't want to lie to my friend. Allie thought, she didn't want to lie to her parents either but not telling is much different then giving them false information. Dealing with the humans would be easy enough…

__

Humans? Allie questioned her own thoughts. Had it come to that? Was she that far immersed in the Xe culture that her subconscious mind no longer associated herself with the people of earth? It was possible; it had been documented before. And in all honesty, she wasn't human, neither was her mother. They were both the products of a grand genetic experiment, an experiment which Allie had secretly resented her whole time with the Xe. How dare they come to earth and treat sentient beings like lab rats! Ruin lives! 

__

I just wanted to be normal! The angry thought brought Allie far enough out of her deep thought pattern to realize that the sun was getting hotter now, the sky a beautiful shade of blue, in lieu of the gray storm clouds that had greeted her arrival. 

She took a step back in her mind; there was no need to be mad at them for what they did. It was all before they understood that they were destroying lives, before they could know that what they did was wrong. Empathy had been Allie's greatest gift to the Xe, in a sense a gift to themselves through her creation. 

A bird flew overhead and landed in a tree nearby, Allie sat up in the lounge chair she had pulled into the back yard and watched it. Its joyful song sent her mind wondering again, this time to all the things she had missed. Even the rain was a sight for sore eyes. Rain is not a thing that happens on Xeln II, the planet she had made residence on for three of her five years, all the water was gathered from the atmosphereic filters and the ground. 

And the burning, yellow star, known as the Sun to earth people, known simply by a catalogue number to the Xe, a number Allie couldn't even remember. How different it was to be warm outside. All Xe homeworlds are on planets much farther from the star that created them, making an almost perpetual winter. Environments so cold that no plants could grow; oxygen generators were brought in to condition a planet long before the cites started going up. Cities that would end up covering the planets entire surface in very short period of time.

Allie suddenly thought of Ka'len. How strange this must be to her. She had never been off Xeln II, plants were a new thing to her, animals too. The only other creature she had ever known besides Xe had been Allie, a human. And now she was here, on a world so rich with life that it drew the interest of a race as advanced as the Xe… and she was sitting in the house watching Television.

__

That's not right! Allie thought as she determinedly pushed herself up from the lounge chair. 

* * *

Inside the house, Allie found Ka'len right where she had been that mourning when she'd gone out back, and that was—Allie glanced back over her shoulder to the clock on the wall behind her—four hours ago! Time must fly when you're sitting and staring aimlessly off into the sky too.

"What are you watching?" Allie asked. Ka'len turned and stared blankly at her friends face for a moment, then:

"I believe you call it a 'talk show'." 

"Oh…" Allie said, Ka'len could tell she had been thinking about something that troubled her. The ability of the human mind to worry over inconsequential matters never ceased to amaze, and fascinate her. Ka'len also found the humans on the television most intriguing, she watched spellbound as two huge women shot up from their seats and started screaming at each other.

"Do many humans behave like this?" she turned back to Allie, puzzled.

"No, fortunately." Allie read the topic as it flashed up at the bottom of the screen: 'my overweight lesbian lover'. She let out an exasperated sigh, reached for the remote: "I think you've seen enough daytime television." Then clicked it off just as one of the land-whales got her former life partner in a headlock. Ka'len did not comment but she was clearly disappointed.

"We need to go do something…" Allie said, "not sit around in the house all day."

"But your parents are not here."

"I know, I can call my mom…"

"She will be upset. You told them to live life like normal…"

"I know that too," Allie cut her off, put her hands on her hips, "I've had five years of plans, rules, logic… I want to do something spontaneous!"

"You mean chaotic…"

"No! I mean fun!" Allie laughed, "come on, your supposed to study earth culture, you can't learn anything from the TV."

"I suppose…"

"That's more like it! I'll go call my mom." Allie walked toward the kitchen, leaving Ka'len staring at the lifeless television screen. Several seconds later Lisa came in the front door,

"I'm home…" she cut it off as her cell phone started ringing.

Allie peaked her head around the kitchen wall, phone stuck in one ear, "oh… never mind." She said, stuck the phone back on the hook. 

"What's wrong?" Lisa asked.

"Nothing, me and Ka'len just want to go somewhere."

Lisa heaved her heavy bag off her shoulder and sat it down against the wall, "where?"

"Somewhere…" Allie glanced over at Ka'len, back to Lisa, "with animals!"

Ka'len sat quietly through the conversation, still staring at the blank screen but listening intently to every word. Humans talk too much, she thought. 

Allie and Lisa went on and on exchanging ideas about how to best introduce the entire world to her as quickly as possible. Not that the idea wasn't intriguing, Ka'len had studied the records of research done on lower animals, the non-self aware creatures that were of so little concern to the Xe, she knew it would be most interesting to see them up close. But for what possible reason? It was not in her mission protocol. And anything not in the protocol was an abuse of time… Allie was talking to her.

"… How does that sound?"

Ka'len found herself at a loss. Had she just 'zoned out' like Allie had described? "I was not listening." 

Allie was shocked by the admission. Ka'len, not paying attention to every little nuance of activity around her? It was also somewhat amusing though. "I said, we can go to the zoo and then the aquarium, does that sound like fun?" 

"It sounds enjoyable." 

Lisa reached into her purse, produced a wad of small bills, "you sure you will be okay on your own? I hate to let you go by your self…"

"Mom, I'll – we'll be fine, you stay and work on your school stuff." Allie smiled, "remember, normal?"

"Yeah, your right. I just still think of you as a little girl I guess." Lisa said with a sigh, placed the money in Allie's waiting hands.

"Thanks mom." Allie reached up and hugged Lisa, then turned to Ka'len: "let's go!"

* * *

__

Infernal peanut shells! Mary flicked an empty husk off the seat beside her. _How can anyone eat so many?_ She watched Keith crack open nut after nut, popping the edible part in his mouth and tossing the rest to the bag on the floorboard, missing almost every time. _What a_ _pig!_

"The mothers home, you think they will leave together?" Keith glanced over at Mary, saw her starting at the bag of shells. "Want some?" he extended the plastic bag of whole peanuts toward her. She glared back; he took that as a no.

"It's a possibility." Mary said, returning her gaze to the house down the street where Allie now resided. She was so close now, just hundreds of feet away, but Mary knew better. The girl might as well be on some ship in deep space because there was no way Mary would risk getting close to her while this Keith idiot was near. 

But then, some activity caught Mary's eye, someone was leaving the house. It looked like Allie and that other girl who…

Keith already had the binoculars pressed to his face, "its Allie, and that other one." He said, looked at Mary, "and they're alone."

__

Perfect. Mary thought. There's no way they could go near them now. If Mary was correct, Allie would be much more powerful then her last encounter, and with no Charlie or Lisa around for Allie to worry about, there was nothing keeping her from using the full force of her abilities against them. An idea that both comforted and terrified Mary, what she had seen was just a taste of what Allie could do. How much more would it be now? 

"Who do you think that other kid is?" Keith asked, then came up with his own answer: "maybe she's one of them..."

"I doubt it." Mary tried to sound as convincing as possible, she had already decided that the other girl must be an Alien, probably sent to guard Allie or something along those lines.

"I think they're headed to the bus stop." Keith started the engine of the light blue Government Issue sedan and slowly eased down the street, keeping a safe distance from the pair. They ended up following them right to the bus stop, where Keith thought they were headed. Then watched as Allie and the other one got on the bus. They followed the bus until they got off at the Woodland Park Zoo.

"Why come here?" Keith questioned, looking up at the South Gate entrance.

"To look at animals." Mary said, effectively stating the obvious. A trait that was growing more and more tiresome by the minute to Keith, He looked forward to disposing of this tool, the sooner the better.

"Guess we're on foot." He said, pulling the car into the nearest parking space.

* * *

"You were right Allie, this is… fun." Ka'len forced the last word out, still unsure of its proper application after all this time. But the word did adequately describe the feeling inside her. She _was_ having fun!

The two walked slowly along the main loop toward the 'African Savanna' section, Allie wanted to see the Lions, Ka'len didn't care what she saw, it was all new and exciting. Even the other people walking along with them fascinated her. Everyone looked so different, short people, tall people, fat people… but they were all the same, a concept that was new to her. Most Xe follow the same basic body shape with only few deviations from the standard. All her brothers and sisters on Xeln II looked no different then herself, in her natural form. And after seeing the Varity of this world, Ka'len realized that that natural form was 'boring'. 

They came to a stop in front of the lion enclosure, With nothing to see, as usual. It seemed all the cats were asleep.

"What's in here?" Ka'len asked as she searched the visible nooks and crannies of the display for the animals within.

"Lions…" Allie trailed, Ka'len could feel an energy build up coming from her friend. Minute but still detectable, but then it faded, Allie said: "they _were_ asleep."

Not long after she spoke, a majestic male lion poked his head out from around a clump of rocks and started heading toward the spot where Allie and Ka'len stood on the other side of the barrier, followed by five female cats. It came right up to the thick plexi-glass wall and plopped down, staring curiously at the two girls.

"Its… beautiful…" Ka'len approached the glass and pressed her hand against it, the great cat leaned its head in, scrunched up its nose and sniffed around where her hand was. The other cats came and gathered around, all their eyes fixed on Allie.

A crowd started gathering on the human side of the glass too, all mesmerized by the animals' anomalous behavior. Allie sensed the tense wonderment in the crowd around her, no fear, just amazement at seeing the creatures so close, and acting so strangely. It sent a rush through her, she could feel the energy emitted by this throng, it was an unusual feeling, like none she'd ever felt before. Large groups of Xe had a field about them but this was her first time in a large enough group of humans to feel the field, and it was much different, much stronger. A testament to the latent abilities locked within every mind on the planet.

Allie could clearly see the need for the alliance now, it wasn't that earth was ready, it was that earth was in danger, the human race was in danger. One more-good step forward in evolution and all humans would have the power she possessed. It would be a self-destructive cataclysm like the universe had never seen. The Xe had had a similar disaster at their own hands almost 500,000 earth years ago when they started to harness mental powers. Everything that happened now happened because they wanted to save earth from a similar fate.

__

Too much… the pain was back, throbbing in her head. Allie, for the first time realized just what was riding on her 'mission'. The fate of the entire race. There was no way she could fail, but she had no idea how to succeed. How can she bring the two races together peacefully and quickly by herself? She needed help, and for some reason, a name popped into her head: _Mary Crawford?_

"…Allie? Are you okay?" Ka'len nudged her friend, it appeared that Allie had 'zoned out' now. She glanced up at the ring of people now around them, now staring at Allie instead of the big cats, who, in turn, were still staring at Allie.

Allie turned her head toward Ka'len, her eyes were dilated but within seconds they refocused and Allie gasped, as if shocked.

"What?" Allie asked, disoriented, face somewhat pale. She looked around at all the eyes peering down on her, some concerned, some amused, most just looking because everyone else was.

"You do not look well." Ka'len said.

"I… I'm fine." Allie reached up, taking Ka'len's hand from her shoulder, "lets go…" she pulled Ka'len toward the nearest thin spot in the crowd. The sea of bodies parted for them, all eyes watching their passing. The lions watched too until one by one they all got up and ambled back to their place behind the rock, out of sight of the normal people. 

* * *

"Well, I don't see them anywhere." Keith said, slightly angered. Mary walked beside him as they passed under a sign that read: 'African Savannah'.

"Your guys are watching all the exits, don't worry." Mary said, although she was worried because of that very fact. There _was_ no way out, this was the perfect scenario for a snatch-n-grab job. Without a gun, Mary had no way to stop it if it started happening. 

__

Hell, if I had a gun I'd take care of him right here! Mary thought, looking over at Keith. She had no idea why, but each time she laid eyes on him it made her blood boil. A conditioned response probably, she had steeled herself against getting attached to him in any way, attachment in this situation brought weakness, the inability to act as circumstances demand.

"We'll check this one last exhibit then we'll go back to the car." Keith said.

* * *

"It was weird… I could feel everyone." Allie tried to explain what happened at the lion exhibit to Ka'len without giving away her grand revelation, or the true nature of the mission. 

"You had similar experiences on Xeln?" Ka'len asked, although she knew the answer.

"Yeah, but nothing like that. It was a raw energy, untrained, extremely powerful."

"The powers locked in the human brain are more potent then the Xe…"

"I know," Allie cut her off, "but there was something else… a name."

"Who?"

"Mary Craw--" Allie and Ka'len rounded a corner and came face to face with Mary and Keith, "--ford?!"

Breathless silence followed from all four as they stood, staring at each other. Allie took one step back, leaned up against Ka'len's shoulder and tensed her body up, preparing to run.

Mary's mind was working faster then it ever had before. She had to make a distraction, and quick! But what could she do that wouldn't tell Keith who's side she was on? Her thoughts raced 'round and 'round till one memory came up, the most horrible memory she had. That of her foray into the 'ship' that night, of her reaction to looking into the imagined Owens eyes, the pure mental anguish and… and the tendency of the body to collapse under such circumstances.

She looked into Allies eyes, as sincerely as possible, hoping that Allie could see the intentions in her actions. With quick jerks of her eyes to the left, she signaled the direction to run in. Allie had picked up on her motives! She nodded very slowly to show she understood. 

It started like a blur, Mary tipped herself off balance toward Keith, began wailing as if in extreme pain, collapsing on top of him, bring them both to the ground. 

Allie grabbed Ka'len's arm and spun her to the left, "Run!" Allie said firmly into Ka'len's ear and both of them were off, as fast as they could move. Neither looking back.

"What the hell?" Keith lay, shocked, with Mary on top of him. "Hey, what the hell was that?" he demanded angrily.

"She… she was in my… my head." Mary clutched her head and rolled off of him, appearing to be in intense pain. Keith didn't really buy it; it was too obvious that the girl didn't do anything. She was scared stiff just by seeing them.

"She… she… I saw…" Mary babbled on, Keith hoisted himself off the ground and brushed his jacket off. Then he noticed the group of people, many just coming from the spectacle at the lion exhibit, that was gathering around them.

"Get up," he held out his hand to Mary, she grabbed on and he hauled her back to her feet. "Can you walk?"

"I… I think so." She muttered low, her eyes fixed on a spot on the ground several paces ahead of them. Yes, Keith was right, his plan was working perfectly; Mary will lead the girl right to him.

"Wait here, I'm going to go after her." Keith tried to step away but Mary Grabbed his arm. "What the hell are you doing?" Keith held his intense anger in check, but just barely, violently ripped his arm from her grasp.

"Shouldn't we… they…" Mary yelled after him but he had already plunged into the crowd. _Damn! _She thought. _That was too much, he'll suspect something._

* * *

"Keep going!" Allie ran beside Ka'len as both girls entered a clearing in front of the South Gate visitor center. "There's the exit! Just a little further."

Ka'len could see that there was something more wrong then just running into those two people, Allie seemed scared, rushed. Something urgent was pushing her.

"I do not understand why we are running. You could have just…"

"No… I need to think…" Allie slowed to a walk as they both rounded the back of the public restroom building. "It's too soon! This changes everything…" 

"What is 'everything'?" Ka'len asked innocently but Allie knew she was already suspicious. Anyone could see by her actions that there was something more going on here then meets the eye. Ka'len would start asking questions now.

And what about Mary. Why did she just help them? And why did her name come so suddenly, almost like a vision? Again, Allie found herself assailed with many more questions then she had answers, when all she needed right now was just a measure of calm normalcy to figure things out

The way things were going, she began to long for the complex life among the Xe again. At least with them, you always knew what was around the next corner. Every aspect of almost every action was meticulously planned, no surprises, no wasted energy. Totally safe and stable, and the complete opposite of life on this planet in almost every way. But, life with the Xe had been a perpetual bore. This, unstable, unpredictable, horribly chaotic life on earth was truly exciting. An excitement that part of her longed for.

"Should we not continue?" Ka'len asked.

Allie glanced around the wall, that man was out there, somewhere. She couldn't see him but felt his presence, he was getting closer.

"This way…" Allie grabbed Ka'len's arm and started running toward the exit turn-styles that had come into view around the opposite side of the building. She glanced to the left after hearing a sound, a balloon popping. Her eyes returned forward just in time to see a black hared boy cross right into her path. 

The surroundings went into a slow motion blur as Allie's mind searched for an escape from the inevitable impact that was but a fraction of a second away. Then, her eyes locked with his, and she found herself lost in them. Every other thought fading away until the physical pain of impact.

Their foreheads came together with a thud that resonated through Allie's skull, followed by an immediate sensation of pain, which was extinguished even before she hit the ground. The boy fell too, in the opposite direction.

Allie lay there for a while gazing up into the sky. Her body was fine, any injury healed its self-the moment it was inflicted, but her thoughts were spinning so fast she couldn't concentrate enough to sit up. Then she saw Ka'len move to stand over her, giving her a point to focus on and slow the spinning.

"Are you alright?" Ka'len asked, her voice even more flat then usual.

Allie moved her arms, pushing herself up onto her elbows, "yeah… I'm fine." Then she looked over at the boy, who was watching her and rubbing a spot on his head that was already forming into a nasty bruise.

"I'm sorry-,"

"Sorry, I-,"

They both spoke in unison, cutting each other off. Allie continued:

"I didn't see you…"

"No, it's my fault." He said, looked at her with _those eyes_

Again, Allie found herself lost in them, gazing helplessly into the unfathomable green depths. She tried to look away but she couldn't. A new and disturbing sensation compelled her to continue staring even though her consciousness was screaming at her to get up and continue running

Ka'len watched, intrigued by this display. She scanned between Allie, the boy, and back to Allie. There was defiantly something going on here, but what, Ka'len didn't know. There had been no records of such behavior in the research she had studied. Was this some new emotion being displayed? She would have to make Allie give her a full report later.

But now, a commotion across the plaza in the direction they had just come from caught her attention. The man who was with Mary Crawford was pushing his way through the crowd. He stopped and looked around for a moment until his eyes fell right on Ka'len, he began running in their direction.

"We need to go!" Ka'len pulled Allie up with a combination of her bodies own strength and telekinetic energy.

"Go…" Allie snapped back into reality. "Oh, yeah!" she ran with Ka'len past the boy, then stopped, looked back, said: "I'm really sorry."

"Come!" Ka'len tugged on her hand. 

Several minutes later they made it back to the bus stop, right as a bus stopped. As they climbed in, Ka'len asked: "what happened?"

Allie replied with a silent look of confusion, not understanding the question. 

"With that boy…" Ka'len clarified.

"Oh…"

Ka'len studied her friend, it was apparently something that Allie did not understand either. 


	4. chapter 4

It's short… oh well. I just wanted to get something up before finals. Oh, and I forgot the disclaimers… I don't own any of the Taken characters (duh!) but I do own my original characters and this particular story. 

Legacy: chapter 4

* * *

"Do you know what I love about this game?" Mary asked casually as she jumped her knight over one of the remaining pawns to take Keith's rook, "it's all about planning, thinking ahead."

"You seem to be good at thinking ahead." Keith said in reply, watching the pile of black pieces on Mary's side claim yet another unfortunate victim from his ranks.

"I've had a lot of practice at it," Mary smiled, "it's your move."

Keith leaned in close and studied the layout of his few remaining pieces. Very few. "You never told me what happened."

"What happened?" Mary looked at him questioningly.

"At the zoo…" Keith said flatly

"Oh," Mary leaned back, crossing her arms, "I didn't? Or are you trying to distract me?"

"No, no you didn't." Keith reached for a bishop, changed his mind.

"Well, what is there to tell? She used one of her little tricks on me."

Keith frowned, "Mary, we need to trust each other if we're going to work together. Can you at least tell me what it was like?"

"I will," Mary glanced down at the board, "if you hurry up and move!"

Keith reached down without taking his eyes off of Mary, slid a pawn forward. "There, I moved."

Mary laughed, quickly moved to kill that pawn too.

"You did that on purpose!" Keith grinned as Mary dropped the pawn on her pile.

"Yeah… I did." Mary glanced over at the window and the city lights outside. This part of town could only look good at night, she thought. The view from the third story of their abandoned-high-rise-apartment-building turned operational headquarters was spectacularly grotesque during daytime hours. 

"So… tell me. What did she do?"

Mary listlessly turned her head back to Keith, it was clear that she had to tell him something. But what? 

"It was like…" she started and was already searching for a way to explain something that never really happened, "you know when you get a sinus headache?"

"Yeah."

"Well… it was like that--but more intense. And I could feel it moving around--inside my--head." Mary grimaced, as if recalling the pseudo-memory brought back the pain.

"Wow," Keith tried to look genuinely sympathetic, but it was hard to keep from laughing, he already knew she was faking the whole thing. "But you said it was her, in your head."

"It was, I could tell."

"Uh huh," Keith reached down and slid another piece, it seemed that Mary, in her attempt to conceal her true plans, was falling into more then one of his traps.

"Can we discuss something else… I don't like to think about this." 

"Sure." Keith crossed a leg over his lap and leaned back, "after this incident, I think we need to call in that Special Forces unit."

Mary stared at him for a moment, dazed. If the army, or airforce, or what ever the hell they were got involved again, there was no way she would be able to help Allie. "Are—are you sure? They're just gonna take the project from us."

"You think?" Keith asked innocently.

"No, I know! You forget that I've done this before." 

"Ah... yes, I had forgotten. Thank you for reminding me Miss Crawford." Keith said mockingly.

Mary glared at him for a while, then: "you ask for my help… But when I offer advice, you make jokes…"

"Oh Mary, you just make it so easy." Keith laughed; Mary didn't find it the least bit amusing. "Seriously though, we're not the FBI…"

"So?"

"So… the NSA's jurisdiction over rules the military, I could have a whole division here and lock down this city. The only thing the little generals could do is exactly what I say or be court marshaled."

"I think you give yourself too much credit." Mary said incredulously, jumped her knight over again, and yet again bringing herself closer to Keith's trap, at least the one in the game.

"Maybe so, but we need to act. This surveillance has gone on long enough."

Mary grinned, "Five days is 'long enough'?" 

"Yes! We have all the evidence we need. Its not like we don't know who she is." 

"I think we should wait."

"For what?" Keith questioned skeptically, being careful not to let his knowledge of her intentions slip out.

"Maybe she'll do something while we're watching her." Mary shrugged, "what makes you think that if she, for some reason, lets us catch her, that she will tell us a damn thing?"

Keith leaned forward over the board, "I never said she had to talk, we just need her body, or more specifically, the brain." He reached down and gently placed the tip of his index finger on his queen, "did I tell you what I love about this game?"

"N—no…" Mary swallowed hard as the full impact of his statement hit home.

He began slowly sliding his queen across the board, "it's all about making your opponent believe you're doing one thing, while in reality your doing something else." He stopped the queen two spaces from Mary's king, which was cornered in a ring of her own pieces, leaned back with a proud look on his face, said:

"checkmate."


	5. chapter 5

Note: I have to thank trickhayden again, for coming up with the names 'Tyler' and 'Jamie'. Great call!

Legacy: chapter 5

* * *

The house was silent for the first time in the last two weeks. Charlie had just left for a meeting and Lisa sat at the kitchen table with Ka'len. Although she might-as-well have been alone. The… girl was so quiet; getting two words in a row out of her that were not 'yes' or 'no' was a challenge. A challenge that Lisa had accepted.

She was determined to make Ka'len open up to her because, well, because she was curious. It's not every day that a… person from another planet lives in your house. And Allie had withheld certain details of what living with the 'Xe' was like. Lisa felt that she deserved to know. After all, she was the one left behind to suffer day after day, not knowing what was happening to her daughter.

Out of the corner of her eye, Lisa saw that Ka'len was studying her intently. Instead of acknowledging the girl, Lisa took another sip of her coffee and turned toward the sliding door. The rain had returned early that morning and it was gently pattering on the brick patio.

Strange thing, the rain. It had been so depressing, but now it was relaxing. Life seemed to slow down with the weather. That same slow, dreary feeling had brought Lisa to the verge of a breakdown before. Now it only made her appreciate the busy buzz of every day life.

"It's beautiful. Isn't it?" Lisa asked, addressing the question to herself it seemed, Ka'len didn't answer.

After waiting several more seconds, Lisa turned toward her.

"Well?" she asked with a smile, "don't you at least find it 'intriguing'?"

"Yes." Ka'len said plainly, but the look on her face told Lisa she had more to say. Culturally ingrained inhibitions were the only thing stopping her.

This trait peeked Lisa's curiosity about the girl. How can a culture… a whole race, which places so much value on knowledge and learning, produce such a robot, with no sense of discovery or inquisitiveness? 

Perhaps she was told not to interact with them… but she talked openly when Allie was around. Could she be shy? Lisa let a small laugh escape with that thought. This was _them _she was thinking about, the race that came and abducted people against their will. Charlie had told her that they even came in and dragged him out kicking ad screaming on several occasions. Not exactly something that a shy temperament would be good at.

The direct approach is the best, Lisa decided.

"You don't talk much do you?" she asked, hoping the reply she received would be something more then 'no'.

"I speak regularly." Ka'len informed her, "there is little to say at the moment."

"I see…" 

It made sense; there really wasn't much to talk about. _So_, Lisa thought, _I'll make something up._

"Allie told me that it never rained on… that place you were from."

"Xeln II," Ka'len said, "no, it never 'rained'." 

"Must be nice." Lisa said with a dreamy look in her eyes. 

Ka'len looked at her oddly, "what do you mean?" 

"Nothing, just that it's probably nice to be dry."

"It is cleaner…" Ka'len thought for a moment, "but, this world is much more aesthetically pleasing."

"Yeah…" Lisa trailed off, now seeing a very good point in not talking unless there is something to be said. They both sat quietly for several minutes before Lisa decided to try again.

"What happened at the zoo the other day?" she asked casually. So far, every time the subject had come up, Allie had become agitated and changed the subject. Lisa wondered what possibly could have happened. The past few days, Allie had been sleeping later and later. And when she was awake she acted very withdrawn and preoccupied. 

"We saw various creatures then returned." Ka'len stated in a very matter-of-fact manner. Too bad Lisa could see right through her flimsy attempt at a cover-up.

"But you were going to go to the aquarium too. Why didn't you two do that? Allie loves the dolphins!"

"Allie said she did not feel well." Ka'len tried to remain calm but Lisa saw her becoming agitated just like Allie. There was one trick she thought she could try, something that could only work on Ka'len:

"Are you keeping a secret? Because, in our culture, secrets aren't good." She tried to take advantage of the girl's lack of detailed knowledge about earth ways and her 'mission' of learning about earth culture. A dirty trick, but it appeared to work.

Ka'len studied her long and hard, searching for any sign that she was not telling the truth. Finally, she took a deep breath, exhaled, said: "I am not supposed to tell, Allie said it was important…"

"What, what happened?" 

"We saw two humans."

"Who?"

Ka'len glanced over her shoulder to make sure Allie wasn't listening, "one was called Mary Crawford."

Lisa froze from the first syllable of the name. She had talked with Charlie the night after Allie had returned about what to do if the government came back. But, so soon? And of all people, that Crawford bitch! 

Now Lisa could understand what was troubling Allie. She was scared that her returning would cause them to have to run again. 

Without another word, Lisa arose from her chair and started off toward the hall, Ka'len called after her:

"Please, do not tell her."

Lisa turned to reassure the girl: "I'm not, I just want to talk to her."

* * *

Allie sat on the edge of her bed staring absently out the window, hands dropped limply in her lap, and her frizzy, uncombed hair hung in tangles all around her head. On the outside, she appeared totally calm and serene. But inside, Lisa knew, she was anything but.

Gently edging the door open, she watched her from behind. Allie didn't flinch at all, like she was totally oblivious to her mother's presence, and she very well could have been. Lisa had not talked much with her daughter about the details of what had happened with the aliens, but it was clear that this was _not_ the same girl she had once known.

"Allie…" Lisa called, her voice gentle and caring. She waited for a sign that Allie had heard her but nothing came, not even a twitch. 

"Honey… are you okay?" she moved around the bed. Seeing the redness and moisture around her daughter's eyes she already knew the answer, but still, not even a twitch to show that Allie was even aware of her presence. She sat down on the bed and thought about the best way to approach the issue.

"You know," she said, "no matter what happens, we will always find a way to be a family." Still nothing from Allie.

"If you're afraid of something here… we can leave." Lisa glanced over at the stone wall that her daughter had become, but she had no idea if this was by choice or one of those new abilities Allie had told her about. Was she 'doing' something now, As Lisa was talking to her? 

"If you would just talk to me…" a tear rolled down Lisa's face as she placed her hand on Allies shoulder. It was like flipping on a light switch, Allie turned her head and looked into her mothers eyes, asked:

"You've never shown any powers at all?"

Lisa was taken aback by the oddness of the question in the context of the conversation she was trying to have. It was like Allie had just woke up and had not heard a word of what she said before.

"No—no, why?"

"I just thought it was strange." Allie turned her attention back to the world outside her window, where the rain had just slacked off.

"Did you… hear me, when I came in?" Lisa asked

"No." Allie glanced back apologetically, "I'm sorry. Did you say something?"

"I was just worried, that you were hiding from something…" Lisa turned away, not sure how to phrase her next statement.

"Why," Allie asked, "what is there to hide from?" she sounded sincere enough, but Lisa could hear the undertones that told her she was hiding something. Already knowing what that something was, it hurt Lisa that her daughter thought low enough of her to have to keep secrets. Like Allie was trying to protect her from some horrible truth, the way a parent shelters her child.

"Ka'len told me." Lisa said outright, "she told me about the zoo."

"Oh…" Allie looked disappointed, then smiled "I guess that means she's becoming more independent." 

"If you're scared of that woman, we can leave…"

Allie interrupted: "that's what I've been thinking about." She took Lisa's hand, "mom, there are… things, that I have to do here, I didn't come back just to visit."

_Visit…_ Lisa turned the word over in her head, "what 'things'?"

"I can't tell you just yet, not until the time is right. Ka'len doesn't even know." 

"Okay…"

"The thing is, I was worried about how I was going to do these things, but I thought about it. Now I know what I have to do, and it _does not_ involve running away!"

The forcefulness and certainty in Allies voice effected Lisa deeply, touching some part of her primitive nature. Triggering the fight part of the fight or flight response. But fight? 

Against what? 

Lisa had some ideas, but none of them made any sense.

"Me and Charlie will be right behind you, no matter what. You know that?"

Allie smiled, "I know. But I think it would be best if dad didn't find out about Mary yet."

Lisa nodded, Charlie might overreact hearing that news.

"One other thing," Allie said.

"What?"

"I need to start school, soon."

Lisa looked confused, "but I thought you said…"

"I know, I don't need it for learning. I just wanted to… make some friends, or something."

__

Be like a normal kid, Lisa added in her head, "I understand, we'll talk to Charlie later."

"Thanks," Allie stood and stretched, "I've been in this room for too long. I think I'll go out for a while."

* * *

It took some convincing, but Allie finally managed to coax Ka'len out of the house. The ground was still soaked and the air was heavy with the moisture from the rain, which was sure to return at any moment. She didn't care; it just felt great to be outside.

Although the reason for being outside was double sided.

Allie glanced down the street and confirmed her suspicions. There they were, Mary and that other guy. Sitting in a white van down the street thinking they were hiding. No doubt they had been following her ever since she returned, she just didn't know to look for them until now. 

The convenience of the situation was hard to miss. It would be so easy to just follow them to where ever they were staying. All she had to do was… Ka'len. 

__

How do I tell her? Allie looked over at her friend. Her _only_ friend, the realization hit her like a truck. Sure, there was John and her mom and dad, but that was different. Ka'len was the only one she felt she could really talk to. And here she was lying and making up excuses for the things she did. 

__

What kind of friend am I? She thought. But no matter how hard she tried, the will to reveal everything just would not come forth. Allie knew the reason why Ka'len couldn't know… didn't she? The logic was still fuzzy. 

__

Why can't she know? Allie mulled over the question once again. It's not that Ka'len was stupid, like she would go around telling people or something. In fact, she would trust Ka'len more with the knowledge then she trusts herself. 

There was still something missing. Something that Allie didn't know, some piece of information that John had forgotten to tell her.

__

Maybe… Allie froze for a moment. What if _her_ mission were the cover and Ka'len had other orders? What if they hadn't trusted her enough to carry out an important task? Or, what if…

An uncontrollable shudder went through Allie's entire body. There were some disgustingly evil things in Xean history. Things that would make Hitler look like Jesus himself. What if this were all a trick… everything she had been told… were they using her as a tool?

__

No… they wouldn't, not now… she tried to convince herself but it was too late, the seed of distrust had been planted by her own mind. She now eyed Ka'len apprehensively. Could she still be trusted?

"What should we do?" Ka'len asked, breaking the silence. 

"You tell me…" Allie stopped herself, noting the hostility in her own voice. Ka'len had heard it too.

"You wanted to leave the house, I believed that you would have somewhere to go."

"I do," Allie turned and looked at the van once more, then grabbed Ka'len's hand. "This way," she said as they left the porch, cutting across the grass to reach the sidewalk, walking in the opposite direction from the poorly disguised stakeout.

They walked for a while in silence. Ka'len glanced over every so often, but Allie was in deep thought about something. 

Ka'len felt bad, she had told Lisa about the zoo and that woman. This was, no doubt, why her friend was mad at her, why she had spoke so angrily at the house. This whole concept was still a challenge to her, "friendship"; it had no real definition. Only a huge set of vague rules that she was only starting to understand. But one of those rules she did understand was trust, and she had violated Allie's, by telling her secret. 

"I am sorry…" Ka'len forced the words out awkwardly, not entirely sure she had done it right. Humans could react so drastically to syntax errors.

Allie looked up from her careful study of the dirt on the ground in front of her feet, "what?" she snapped back to reality, "sorry, what did you say?"

"I apologized for telling your mother."

Allie concentrated for a moment, not sure what she was talking about, then remembered the conversation with Lisa earlier, "why do you need to apologize?"

"You are angry at me for revealing your secret."

"What? No, no… I'm just…"

"If it is not the zoo, then what is it? Have I done something incorrectly?"

"No—" Allie closed her eyes and took a deep breath, "—I just need some time… that's all"

Ka'len did not know to what she referred, but did not ask any further questions. Instead she looked up, just in time to see a white and black spotted ball bouncing straight at them from a source up the street. A little black hared boy ran after it.

Allie raised her right foot instinctively and stomped down on the ball as it reached her. A flood of memories came upon her as she reached down and picked it up. 

The little boy stopped about ten feet from them, panting. "Can we have our ball back—please?" he said with a slight uppity rudeness in his voice.

"Sure," Allie tossed the ball back over to him. The boy stood, eyeing her suspiciously for a moment, then tore off back up the road toward an older boy, probably his older brother.

The other boy waived at them, "thanks for stopp—" he and Allie made direct eye contact. Even from this distance she could make out the deep, dark green eyes and curly black hair, and… a huge bruise on his forehead. 

Ka'len leaned over, "is that not the boy from the zoo?"

"Yeah… it is… but?" Allie started slowly walking toward him. Ka'len followed, eyes wide with excitement over the chance to observe this interaction once more.

The boy seemed to be just as surprised to see her here as she was. He stood motionless, staring, trying to think of something to say. The younger brother stood some distance behind him.

"How—how's your head?" he finally asked with a big, awkward grin as the girls drew closer.

The little boy behind him was growing restless, "Tyler, lets play!" 

He turned, "just a second Jamie…" and he made a face as if to say: _shut up kid!_

Jamie groaned, "girls! Always girls!"

Tyler laughed sheepishly as he turned back toward Allie and Ka'len, who had stopped several feet in front of him.

"Hi," Allie said, still a little embarrassed over her clumsiness. That huge purple lump on his head was totally her fault. 

"Yeah, hi…" Tyler said in reply, "what are you doing here?" …it was stupid, but it was all he could come up with.

"We live down there," she pointed back down the street in the direction of her house. It was out of sight around a corner though.

"Really?" Tyler's eyes widened, "wow, I thought I knew everyone from around here. Did you just move in?"

Allie hesitated, "yeah, I was living with some relatives in…" her eyes rolled up, then the obvious answer came: "Canada."

"Cool." A moment passed as their eyes once again found each other, then he shook it off, "my name's Tyler." 

"Allie…" she blurted out quickly, then blushed, "my name is Allie."

"I like it--I mean, cool name,"

"Yeah…" again, Allie found herself drifting off.

_This can't be normal, _she thought. There had to be some logical explanation for the feelings that she was struggling to suppress. A part of her knew very well what was happening, but the rest of her fought against that truth. _I don't have time for… this_

What worried her even more was that Tyler obviously felt the same things. Was she sending 'signals'? 

What exactly does 'signals' mean? 

There were many questions that only a good, long talk with her mother would answer. For now, she would just be careful what she said and did. _Act normal!_

"Boring…" Jamie bounced the ball up and down rhythmically.

Tyler took advantage of the distraction; at least it was something to talk about. "This is my little, _baby, _Brother Jamie." He emphasized the 'baby' part, that always got Jamie riled up.

"Hey!" Jamie whined, "mom said not to say that!" he kicked the ball at Tyler. It bounced off his shoe and rolled across the street. "You're no fun anymore…" Jamie walked over to the curb and sat, pouting.

"He's cute," Allie said after watching the display. Then she glanced over at the ball; "you play soccer?"

"Yeah, goalie. Jamie plays in the junior league."

_Goalie… interesting. _A crazy thought started forming, but she noticed Tyler staring past her at… Ka'len! She had completely forgot Ka'len was with her.

"God, I totally forgot. This is my cousin… Kaytlen, from Canada." She introduced Ka'len, but immediately cursed herself. _Canada? We know nothing about Canada!_

"Cool, what part?" Tyler asked 'Kaytlen'.

_I knew it! _Allie's mind raced for an answer, but Ka'len had a surprise in store for her.

"Richmond, British Columbia. It is just south of Vancouver." Ka'len said, even taking on a very slight accent.

This only served to feed Allie's suspicions. How did she know that? The fact that Ka'len had studied Earth's history, geography, and languages failed to even register in her mind.

"Neat, not too far from here…" Tyler said. 

The front door of Tyler's house opened and a woman stepped out, his mother.

"Jamie, Tyler, lunch is ready. It's going to get cold." She said, then reentered the house, slamming the door behind her. 

Jamie jumped up and ran in. 

Tyler looked disappointed, turned back toward Allie and said: "I should go. I'll see you around?"

"Okay, sure," Allie smiled.

"Bye." Tyler turned and ran toward the house, stopping halfway, "the ball…"

"I'll get it," Allie had already walked over to it. She lined up and kicked it perfectly, giving it just the right amount of rise and backspin to fall right into Tyler's hands. 

"You play too?" he asked.

Allie shrugged, "a long time ago."

Tyler smiled, turned, and disappeared into the house. 

* * *

Several minutes later, Allie and Ka'len were on their way back home. The sky had grown darker and it was sure to start pouring any minute. 

The weather was far from Allie's thoughts though. She didn't know how to feel toward Ka'len anymore. If she was mean, or acted like Ka'len was hiding something, and she really wasn't, Allie knew she would feel horrible. But if she was being used for something…

Again her thoughts were interrupted. Not by a soccer ball this time, but by the white van Mary and that guy were so unskillfully following them in. Mary had obviously been taken by surprise by them showing up so close to their position, the van swerved and headed off down a side street. 

It took a minute for the idea to click in Allie's head, but a huge mischievous grin spread across her face when it did. 

She grabbed Ka'len's arm, "I've got an idea! Follow me…" 


	6. chapter 6

AN: little change at the bottom of this chapter (ignore this note if you are a first time reader). I changed the part where Nina sees Allie, to reflect the way the rest of the story has gone so far. So now, Nina has not seen Allie yet. (until she does in later chapters).

Legacy: chapter 6         

* * *

The rain returned like clockwork. Lisa watched the large drops falling from inside her warm house. _I let Allie and Ka'len go out in this? _She thought. It wasn't one of her smartest parenting moves ever. But she was not too sure that anything she knew about parenting still applied in Allie's case. And Ka'len… she might have the body of a 14 year old but that didn't mean anything. She could be hundreds of years old in reality. Lisa wasn't sure though; that topic had not come up yet in a discussion.

            The rain started falling harder just as Charlie pulled into the driveway. She watched him get out and run to the house.

            He was through the door before Lisa could get there to open it. "Geez, this is a pretty nice little storm." He said, removing his rain soaked coat. "I thought the TV said all the heavy stuff had moved off to the east."

            Lisa shrugged, "can't always believe the weather reports," 

            "Yeah…"

"So, how did the meeting go?" Lisa asked.

            "Fine," Charlie leaned over and gave her a little kiss on the cheek, "just fine, I think the board will finally accept my recommendations."

            "That's great!"

            Charlie smiled, looked around, "where's Allie?" he expected to see her waiting, she had acted like she really wanted to talk about something earlier.

            Lisa hesitated, "they went for a walk."

            "In this!" Charlie motioned to the window and the rain outside.

            "It wasn't raining when they left." 

            "I know…" Charlie said, "Maybe we worry too much, I'm sure Allie can take care of her self much better then we can."

            "Don't say that! You make it sound like we're useless…"

            "Well…" Charlie was about to make one of his much loved realist observations but a knock at the door behind them cut him off. He turned and opened the door…

            "Hey!" Nina exclaimed as she hurriedly stepped inside. Charlie and Lisa stared at her silently for a moment, in shock. Nina didn't know Allie was back yet. Allie had them promise not to tell anyone. She said that too much activity around them would draw attention, and at the time, Charlie and Lisa had agreed. But now there was a problem.

            "Hey Nina!" Lisa said with a tight, awkward smile across her face.

            "I was out on this side of town and thought I'd stop by. It's a shame that we live in the same city and hardly ever see each other." She wrapped her arms around Lisa, who exchanged urgent glances with Charlie. 

            "Great… we were just…" Lisa started.

            "Oh, I'm not interrupting something, am I?" 

            "No, of course not." Charlie placed a hand on her shoulder, showing the way to the living room with the other, "come on in, we need to talk." 

            "Great! Oh, I saw this diary in this store earlier, just like the one Allie used to have…" her mood took on a more sober tone, "it seems that ever where I look something reminds me of her." 

            Again, Lisa and Charlie's eyes met with that same urgency in them. This was the awkward situation Lisa had feared from the beginning. She just hoped that Allie would wait a while before returning.

* * *

            "Good work with that fancy driving, we lost them." Mary said as Keith brought the van to a stop in their original position, overlooking the house. 

            No matter how annoying Mary was in her constant cynical criticisms, she was right. He should have stayed in position. It was only a matter of waiting for Allie and the other one to return. Taking chances at this point was stupid since the target already knew she was being watched.

            "I don't think they knew it was us. We'll just wait for them to get back home."

            Mary looked out the tinted side window at the rain falling, "_if_ they go back right now. They might be waiting out this storm somewhere."

            "Hemm…" Keith brought the binoculars up and pressed them to his face, "looks like the father's home, and someone else."

            "Let me see…" Mary reached for the binoculars which Keith reluctantly handed over. "Yeah, that car is definitely at their house. Do we know who it is?"

            Keith looked at her for a moment, "no, _we_ do not. The surveillance has been centered around Charlie and Lisa, no one else."

            "Well, it's probably not important," Mary looked back through the binoculars, making note of the license plate number on the unknown car: '_SB9-426'_. 

* * *

            Allie carefully leaned over and looked around the driver's side of the van. Rain soaked ever inch of her hair and clothing.

She studied the man in the driver's seat for a while through the reflection in the side mirror, until his eyes shifted toward the mirror. With a jerk, she spun back around. Several breathless seconds passed as she waited to see if the door opened, indicating that she had been seen. To her relief, nothing happened. She had not been spotted.

            Ka'len waited between two houses on the opposite side of the road. With a silent wave her hand, Allie signaled her to come. Several seconds later, Ka'len vanished from her hiding spot and reintegrated next to Allie.

            "I will not be able to do that again," she whispered

            "I know, I'll do the next one." Allie said, "we won't have to hide the energy after I'm done here."

            "I do not believe this is safe." Ka'len took on a worried tone

            "That's why you're here. If things go wrong you can get us out of here." Allie stood with a look of determination in her eyes, "I have to talk to Miss Crawford… I have to know why she helped us."

* * *

            "You feel that?" Mary glanced over to Keith and her jaw dropped. He appeared to be frozen in place, with a peanut just about to drop in his mouth and its shells hanging in mid air on their way to the bag. The clock in the radio had stopped too, even her watch had stopped, but she could still move.

The feeling of being watched crawled up her spine and she turned slowly back toward her window.

            Then Mary screamed louder then she had ever screamed before in her life. But it was more from shock then fear.

            Outside her window stood Allie, emotionless expression on her face, staring at her with those piercing blue eyes. She made direct eye contact even through the dark tinting.

            The window quickly disappeared into the door under the influence of some invisible hand and Allie moved a step closer.

            "Hello Miss Crawford." She said in a flat monotone.

            Mary stuttered a few times then: "h—hi."

            Allie stared at her coldly, waiting for Mary to continue, but she didn't know what to say first. She had to tell Allie that she was on her side. But how? The grounds for a friendly relationship with the girl were not exactly something that Mary had.

            Growing impatient, Allie spoke up: "why did you help me?" 

            In the flurry or other thoughts, Mary had to think for a moment to understand the question. "I…I want to help you…" Mary realized how simple and vague that was but her world was spinning so fast that she couldn't phrase her thoughts any other way.

            "Why?" Allie asked, forcing Mary to go deeper for an explanation.

            "I… feel bad…"

            "Remorse?"

            "Yes…" Mary could feel her heart pounding like a Taiko drum. She had only been in this position for a minute or so but she felt drained, sluggish. And Allie standing outside staring down at her, the thick electricity in the air making every hair on her body stand up…this was more intense then any interrogation she had ever been through.

            "Is that the reason?"

            _Yes… of course…_ Mary was confused by her question. Until she focused on it. It really wasn't the reason she wanted to help Allie. She wanted to help because she wanted to know what they know… she just wanted to go about getting that knowledge in another way.

            "No… I want to know, that's why I want to help you." she told her.

            Allie remained silent for several seconds, then: "what do you want to know?"

            The car and everything else around Mary dissolved away, leaving her standing in the middle of an endless expanse of white, which stretched out in all directions. 

            _Just like the ship,_ Mary spun around several times, taking in the vastness, and at the same time, the confinement, of this space. It was brightly lit but there were no lights. The walls, floor, and ceiling were giving off all the illumination, creating a shadow-less environment. 

            "Hello!?" Mary called out.

            "Here." Allie's voice came from behind her; she whirled around to see those deep, blue eyes staring into her again.

* * *

            "So what have you been up to?" Nina asked as she took a seat in the living room. Lisa and Charlie sat as well.

            "Oh, you know. This and that…" Lisa laughed thinly. Then her eyes lit up, "oh! I talked to Denny a few weeks ago, he gave me a copy of their first album."

            "Wow! It any good?" 

            "Hell yes! You want to borrow it?"

            "Sure," Nina grinned, "see, if you would have just stayed with it, you would be a rock star!"

            "I guess…" 

            "Not that psychology isn't just as glamorous." 

            Lisa smiled.

            Charlie rose to his feet, "I'm going to grab a drink," he looked to Nina then to Lisa, "either of you want one?"

            "Yeah, thanks," Nina said. Lisa declined the offer with a look that said: _give me a few minutes._

Charlie nodded and left the room, heading for the kitchen. Lisa turned back toward Nina.

            "We need to… talk, about something."

            "What is it?" Nina looked on with concern in her eyes.

* * *

            "What is this place?" Mary asked, still looking around wide-eyed at her surroundings.

            "You know what it is." Allie told her, "I think you called it a 'screen'."

            "I mean, where is it?"

            Allie raised an eyebrow, stared at Mary as if she was the dumbest person on the planet. "You know that too…"

            "Well… remind me."

            Allie sighed, "it's your mind, your 'reality', if you like. Only stripped of input from your senses. I am in control of everything you see, hear, smell, touch…"

            "Okay," Mary cut her off, "how do you do it?" 

            "I think it and it happens." 

            Mary thought for a moment, "there has to be more to it then that."

            "Your right," Allie said, "when you find out what it is, you can tell me."

            "You mean, you don't know how you do these things?"

            "No… I just know how to do them."

            Mary paused to digest this information. So far the only answers she had gotten just confused her even further.

            "You wanted to know something?" Allie asked, "what?"

            "Everything! I want to know what you know, what they know…"

            "And what will you do when you know these things?"

            Mary stopped cold, she had never thought that far ahead. Just getting to the source of the answers was all she could ever hope to accomplish. And now here she was, not even five feet away from everything she ever wanted to know.

            "I, I don't know."

            "You just want to _know_, no reason?" Allie asked, incredulity dripping from every word, "I _do not_ believe that."

            "Please, just let me help you…"

            "To what end?" 

            _What_? Mary was becoming more and more confused by the moment. Allie could see this.

            "You help me… you get something in return" she clarified, "what is it?"

            Mary shrugged and shook her head, She honestly had not thought about it. 

            "I just want you to trust me so I can…"

            "Trust!" Allie mocked, "me, trust _you_?" she started laughing.

            Mary stiffened up, Allies laughter cutting deeper by the second, "I deserved that."

Allie stopped laughing instantly, exercising precise control over her emotions. Her face returned to the blank page it had been before. 

            "You just want me to blindly trust you? Like your father trusted you… Like Dr Wakeman?"

            The last word was a knife right into Mary's heart. Everything, every thought, every emotion that had flooded over her the past five years came back at once, overwhelming all her feeble attempts to hold it back.

            "Please stop…," Mary said, tears welling up in her eyes, "I…"

            "Dr. Wakeman loved you Miss Crawford… and what did you do?" the ice in Allie's voice was terrifying. It somehow compelled her to face her horrible deed: 

            "I… shot him," a tear rolled down her cheek, "he was going to warn you so I shot him!" Mary collapsed to her knees, trembling, "I—shot—him."

            Allie looked down on her, not a single sign of pity on her rigid, mechanical facade. But inside, her heart was breaking. It was clear from the zoo that Mary was a changed person and no longer a threat. She just had to be sure. And this was the only way.

            "What would you do," Allie knelt down to get at eye level with Mary, "if you could do it over again?" a 9mm pistol materialized on the floor in front of Mary. She eyed it warily.

* * *

            "It's nothing, never mind." Lisa's eyes darted around the room, looking at anything but Nina. 

            "It cant be nothing if it bothers you this much," Nina bobbed her head around trying to get in-between Lisa and whatever was so interesting behind her. 

            "Let's just talk about something else, okay?" 

            "But…"

            "So how are things in the exciting world of body art?" Charlie rescued Lisa as he came around the wall from the kitchen holding two cans; he handed one to Nina.

            Nina cast one more searching, worried glance at Lisa then turned to Charlie and smiled, "wild and crazy. I can hardly keep enough ink around these days."

            "Word gets around," Charlie said, "soon everyone in Washington will know that Nina Toth does the best damn work in the country."

            "You say that," Nina laughed, "but you won't let me put anything on you."

            Charlie straightened up, "well… I just never really saw the need for a tattoo."

            "Awe, I think a little red heart with 'Lisa' across it would be so cute." Nina said, then burst into laughter along with Lisa, Charlie couldn't help but laugh a little.

* * *

            "Go ahead, pick it up." Allie said, "its real, and loaded."

            Mary didn't want to touch it… but she was compelled to. She had to feel it, to see if it was real. An object that had just appeared out of thin air… she carefully wrapped her fingers around the grip and lifted it. Allies eyes remained locked on Mary's face the whole time.

            "Why?" Mary looked up at her, "why are you doing this?"

            Allie remained silent, her eyes drilling into Mary's soul. The gun felt so heavy in her hands. She flipped it around, saw that the safety was… was not there.

            _What would you do,_ Allies words flashed through her head and she thought: _what will I do?_

"Well…" Allie spoke up, her words causing Mary to jump.

            Again, she looked pleadingly at Allie, saw the cold face staring back. "Don't make me…"

            "Don't make you what? Shoot me… Or yourself?"

            "No…"

            "Both options are easy. Either way, all this goes away. All your pain, suffering…"

            "Stop it!"

            Allie stood and turned around, "look, I made it easy for you."

            "NO!" Mary screamed, but her attention was un-moveably fixed on the gun. Her whole arm started to tremble as she remembered the promise she had made to her self long ago. 

            _If I could do it over… I would shoot myself, _the thought ran through her head again. 

            "I…" Mary's whole body shuddered, "just wanted to help…"

            "You _wanted_?" 

            Mary was still for a moment, "no, I want to help you! Just let me help you!"

            Allie turned around. Her expression had softened a little but she was still an intimidating sight, "I need _your_ help?"

            Mary placed the gun on the ground, "I can tell you what they're doing! What's being planned…" 

            "And?" Allie edged her on.

            "I… can make distractions for you--whatever you want…" Mary trailed off as Allie began walking around behind her. Studying her, analyzing her. Mary felt like an animal on display, being judged. 

            Allie made three complete circles around her, at an agonizingly slow pace. Finally, she took a deep breath, exhaled in a long sigh, "okay… I'll give you **_one_** chance." The gun on the ground beside Mary flickered like a hologram several times then disappeared. Immediately after which, the white space disintegrated around them. Placing Mary back in her seat in the Van, and Allie back outside the window.

            "Where is your headquarters located?" Allie asked in a very official manner.

            "Why?" Mary asked, still stunned by the bluntness of the transition back to reality.

            Allie rolled her eyes, growing impatient again, "so I can come to you…"

            "That's dangerous, Keith has several teams spread out, I don't even know where they are."

            Allie glanced past Mary at the man, who now had a name, "so, 'Keith' doesn't _trust_ you?" she looked back to Mary, "Miss Crawford, if you want me to trust you, you must trust me first. Now, what is the address?"

            "667 Skyview lane, an old high-rise apartment building… don't you want to write that down?"

            "No need." Allie backed away from the door, motioned for Ka'len to join her. "Good bye, Miss Crawford." She said as a brilliant blue-white glow began growing up around both of them.

            "Wait…" Mary called out as the light flared up, causing her to bring her arm up to shield her eyes. When she looked again, both girls were gone.

            "What's wrong?" Keith's voice from behind her gave her a start; she turned around to see him staring at her oddly.

            "Nothing…" Mary looked down at the binoculars that had dropped to the seat beside her. She held them up to her face once more, "the license plate on that other car is 'SB9-426', we should run it." 

* * *

            "I guess I should go." Nina said as she got up from her seat, "let you two get back to whatever secretive thing you're up to."

            "Oh, well, we should get together sometime. How about dinner this weekend?" Charlie rose along with Lisa to see Nina out… the sooner the better.

            "Sounds great, I can't…" a brilliant flash of light came from down the hall, Nina saw it, "what was that!?"

            "Um, probably just that fluorescent light again…" Lisa got in-between the hall and Nina, trying to usher her out the door,

            "But…" Nina protested.

            "Wow!" Charlie looked at his watch, "honey, I just remembered somewhere I have to be… 10 minutes ago. I'll walk you to your car Nina," Charlie offered his arm with a goofy smile.

            "Oh… okay…" 

            Charlie opened the door and practically shoved Nina through, slamming it behind him.

"Mom," Allie called out as she ran down the hall, "your never going to guess who…" she stopped as she entered the room and saw the look of relief on her mothers face "…I just talked to… what's wrong?"


	7. chapter 7

Here ya go trick, have some Tyler! *Hehe*

Legacy: chapter 7

* * *

The red display of the clock-radio beside Tyler Rivera's bed changed from '6:29' to '6:30', bringing forth a sudden burst of loud music from a local radio station. Startled, Tyler bolted upright, looked around in a daze until he settled on the clock. A quick, clumsy smack of the snooze button would quiet the noise for a few more minutes but Tyler was already wide-awake.

_Another Monday…_ he groaned as he slipped from the bed. Out of habit, he took the clock and propped it up on his little brother Jamie's bed with the speaker facing toward him. The little twerp could sleep through a train wreck as it is, the radio prank was the best thing Tyler could think of, next to a bucket of ice water. He knew his mother wouldn't appreciate that much. 

Tyler made it into the kitchen still rubbing the sleep from his eyes to find his mother all dressed up in her best business suit and rushing around like a mad woman.

"What's up mom?" he asked.

"Meeting," she said as she stuffed a small stack of papers in her case, "something's come up with the Peterson deal, it's an emergency, I have to run."

"But…"

"I'm sorry dear," she grabbed several long mailing tubes containing her designs for the Peterson building, "make sure Jamie eats and gets to the bus on time."

"Fine…" Tyler said, but it wasn't fine. He wondered if she had not started viewing the house as a motel. That was how she had been using it for the past few weeks. Coming in late, sleeping, then off again in the morning. Even though Tyler knew how important this contract was to his mother, he still hated it. 

"I'm sorry," she said genuinely, "I promise, this is the last time."

"Okay, bye…" Tyler wondered why she bothered lying, she should know by now that he and Jamie know better. She was only lying to herself. 

She managed a weak smile, then ducked out the door into the garage. Tyler stood beside the kitchen table for a while. He listened as her car started; the garage door opened, then closed again. And she was gone, leaving him in charge. Not that it was a new thing.

After getting out of the shower, Tyler made his way back to his room to see why Jamie had not gotten up yet. He found the radio on the floor under the bed and Jamie rolled over, still sleeping. 

_Is he totally deaf?_ Tyler wondered. It was time for plan B. Tyler moved silently around the bed and stood right over Jamie, leaned in close.

"WAKE UP!" 

Jamie shot out of the bed screaming like a little girl. 

"Don't do that! You, you big stupid!" he yelled back.

"Oh get over it," Tyler turned and walked back toward the kitchen, Jamie followed behind.

"I'm gonna tell mom! She told you not to do that again…"

"Go ahead," Tyler rounded the counter, reached up to get out a box of pop tarts, "if you can remember next time you see her."

"I'll remember! I have a good memory."

"Sure," Tyler tossed a foil packet toward Jamie, opened his own and started eating it cold.

"These are no good cold." Jamie crossed his arms and entered pout mode. 

Tyler sighed, "when are you going to grow up?" he grabbed the pack, ripped it open and jammed the cheap breakfast substitutes in the toaster.

"I am grown up, I'm ten and three fourths." Jamie stated proudly. Tyler grinned…

"So your ten and six eighths?"

Jamie concentrated hard for a moment, "noo... three fourths!"

The toaster popped up. Tyler took the pop tarts out and handed them to Jamie without a plate.

"Eat, then go get ready for school." He said as he passed, on his way to the television in the living room.

"Where is mom?" Jamie asked.

"Meeting," Tyler told him, "she'll probably be home late too," 

* * *

Half an hour later Tyler and Jamie left the house. Jamie tore off toward his bus stop, Tyler called after him: "don't screw around! If you miss the bus again mom will take it out on me. You know what that means!" 

"Yeah, yeah," Jamie turned, "you'll kill me, I know… Stupid!" 

_Little moron…_ Tyler watched him run down the street and wondered why in the world he was so anxious to get to school. _It's unnatural…_

Looking in the opposite direction, Tyler saw Jessica and Seth waiting by the corner for him as they always did, for their ritual four block walk to East Seattle High School. Seth had his newest obsession with him: his skateboard. He was trying to show off a new trick as Tyler approached, or at least it looked like a trick, maybe he was just losing his balance.

Jessica stopped laughing at Seth when she saw Tyler walking over, "hey Ty, what took so long?" she shouted. 

"Mom left early again, had to take care of the little monster." He called back. Then broke into a jog to reach them.

"Hey Tyler, check this out," Seth said as he stepped back on the board. A few twitchy movements later, Seth was on his back and the board was rolling down the street. Jessica stumbled toward it laughing so hard she could barely breathe, Tyler was laughing just as hard.

"Yeah man," Tyler said, composing himself, "looks like--like you got something there." 

"Shut up." Seth hoisted himself off the ground and brushed off his shirt and pants, "look, not even one scratch…"

"You're getting better then." A huge smile formed across Tyler's face as he tried to hold in the laughter. Jessica walked back up holding the board and wearing the same huge, goofy smile across her face. 

"Now we'll be late," she handed the board back to Seth, "lets go!'

"Late for what?" Tyler asked, "school don't start for thirty minutes."

"I know what she wants…" Seth teased, "Jes wants to get there to see Amber Spencer's older brother drop her off."

"Do not!" she shoved him.

"Do too, you told me."

"Did not, you big liar!" 

Tyler stepped in, "okay, Jesse wants to see some guy and Seth is a big liar. Let's just go…"

"Hey!" Seth started to protest.

"Shut up boy," Jessica ribbed him again, "lets just go, like Ty said."

* * *

The trio of friends crossed the street onto the school grounds, to Jessica's dismay, just as Amber's brother was driving off. Disappointed, Jessica pointed the way toward an empty bench in front of the main entrance. There was still fifteen or so minutes until the first bell rang so they took a seat. All except for Seth, he was content to stand on the skateboard. Tyler glanced down at the hunk of plywood with wheels.

"How long are you going to play with that thing?"

Seth stepped off with one foot to steady himself, "what do you mean?"

"Well, three months ago you were gonna be a BMX freestyle champ, now you want to skate…"

"Hey man," Seth turned up his nose, something he thought looked cool for some reason, "I just do what feels right."

"Sure, you're a regular skater boy." Jessica said with a giggle.

Seth was about to respond but something else drew his attention away. Several seconds later, a female voice came from the direction Seth was staring.

"Hi…" it said shakily, Tyler and Jessica turned. 

"Allie?" Tyler said, "what…" he was about to ask but noticed the backpack and the class schedule in her hand and drew his own conclusion. "Hi..."

"Who's this?" Jessica asked, "'Allie', how do you know her name Ty?"

"She moved in down the street from me, we met over the weekend… and," Tyler reached up and rubbed the smaller but still badly bruised knot on his head.

Jessica's eyes widened, "oh! This is 'the girl' from the zoo…" she winked at Tyler, "I get it…"

Tyler shook his head at his giggly friend then turned his attention back to Allie, "you're going here now?"

"Yeah, I came earlier to get this," she held out the class schedule and shrugged, "I don't know if I can find all these rooms."

"Can I see it?" he reached out, Allie placed the slip in his hand, their fingers brushing as she did so.

Jessica leaned forward and gestured to Seth, he nodded and grinned. Then Jessica stood up, "we'll see you in home room."

"Okay," Tyler said as they walked away, then he looked back toward the schedule. "It looks like you have the same home room as us, and lunch… and…" he scanned further down, "ah, same math class as me." He handed the paper back. 

"Good, at least I can follow you to the first one." 

"Sure," Tyler stood up, "if you want, we could go look for some of the others now."

"Really?" Allies eyes lit up for a moment, "I mean, that's okay, you should go with your friends."

Tyler turned in the direction Allie was looking, saw Seth and Jessica watching from around a corner, "I think they can manage on their own," he looked back to Allie, "really, I don't mind." 

"Okay," Allie smiled, "thanks."

* * *

The rest of the morning went by uneventfully, as usual. Just boring class after boring class. All leading up to the first highlight of the day: lunch. But it seemed to his friends that Tyler was more interested in the door then what was on the tray before him.

"Aren't you going to eat?" Seth finally asked after watching him for a while, "you got practice today don't you?"

"Huh?" Tyler focused on him, "oh, yeah. I was just trying to catch Allie, see if she wanted to sit with us."

Jessica and Seth looked at each other, Jessica giggled a bit, said: "I think Ty has a girl friend."

"It's not like that… she's new here, I'm just trying to be nice."

"Sure…" 

"In all fairness, she is kind of hot." Seth chimed in, drawing a swat on the arm from Jessica.

"Your such a guy!"

"Uh, yeah," Seth laughed, "what did you expect?" 

Tyler zoned their conversation out as he spotted Allie entering the cafeteria. She scanned around the room, her eyes falling directly on him as if she already knew where he was sitting. Tyler lifted his hand and waved just to make sure.

Instead of getting in line, she walked straight over to the table. 

"Hi, again." She said.

"You want to sit with us?" Tyler offered the empty spot on the opposite side of the table from him, beside Jessica. 

"If you don't mind…" Allie said timidly.

"I don't care," Jessica said, but her tone spoke otherwise. Seth just shrugged indifferently. 

Allie slid into the seat, which happened to be the last one on the end of the table.

"Um, aren't you going to get something to eat?" Jessica asked.

"I'm not really hungry." Allie said, "I don't eat that often anyway."

"Oh, you have an eating disorder then…" 

"Jes!" Tyler cut her off.

"No," Allie said seriously, "just a slow metabolic rate." 

"Oh… okay." Jessica turned her attention back to her own tray.

"I didn't introduce these two," Tyler said, "this is Seth and Jessica."

"Hey." Seth said, putting up a fake shield of apathy like he did every time he met someone new.

"Yeah, Jesse for short," Jessica told her.

"Hi… my name is Allison, Allie…"

"Yeah, we know," Jessica rolled her eyes.

"Sorry for my _friends_ rudeness. She really is quite nice once you get to know her." Tyler said.

"She feels threatened by you… ouch!" Seth was cut off by a swift kick to the shin and an evil glare from Jessica.

"Shut up!"

"Why'd you have to kick so hard?" Seth reached down a rubbed his leg under the table.

Allie watched this childish display wondering why in the world she had wanted to put herself in this environment. Friends? She could find a more intelligent friend in a dog pound.

"How were your first four classes here at East Seattle robot factory?" Tyler asked, catching Allie off guard with his humorous and frighteningly accurate assessment of the school.

"Slow and completely un-challenging." She said, causing Tyler to smile.

"Yeah, it is a joke most of the time… but I thought you had Mr. Pfitzer for science..."

"What ever his name is, I don't think he's qualified. He confused a molecular diagram of Helium for Hydrogen." Allie shrugged, "honest mistake I guess…"

Tyler stared at her, "you into science?"

Allie smiled, "I've been… exposed to a lot of it over the years." 

"Hey," Jessica interrupted, addressing Allie, "I was wondering… if you just moved in why did you start school this year? Its like six weeks till summer vacation."

Allie searched for a way to state the obvious without making the girl look stupid. Not finding one, she just said: "because there's six weeks left…"

"Oh, and you would have to repeat the ninth grade next year if you didn't," Jessica said, Allie nodded, "I get it." 

"Well," Seth pushed his chair back, "lunch is almost over, I think I'm gonna head to Ms. Franks class early."

Tyler grinned at him, "whatever you say man."

"What? If I'm late again I get a D-hall…"

"Just go you big pervert," Jessica said, smiling coyly.

Tyler turned back toward Allie, "lunch _is_ almost over… what are you doing this afternoon?"

Allie was stunned by the outright-ness of the question, and its possible implications, "uh, nothing. Why?" 

Jessica seemed to have heard a hidden meaning in his words too. She leaned in, looking at him expectantly.

"Well… I was wondering if you wanted to come out to the field before practice. You seemed like you knew what you were doing the other day. The girls team could use some good players."

"Oh…" Allie said, and for some inexplicable reason, felt disappointed.

"What's that supposed to mean?!" Jessica asked, "the girls team is no good?"

"No… I just…"

"What, just because they're 'girls' they automatically can't play as good as the guys?"

"I didn't say that…" 

Jessica stood up with an annoyed grunt, "I don't know why I hang out with you two, you're turning into such jerks!" she started to walk away.

"Well we still love ya!" Tyler laughed, "after practice?"

Jessica turned, "yeah, I'll be there." Then she turned the corner and disappeared into the hall. Leaving Tyler and Allie alone at the end of the table.

"I hope I didn't do something…" Allie started, Tyler waived her off.

"Nah, that's just who she is, always has been. Likes to pick fights and make us make up for them later."

"Oh…"

"I guess I should go too, my next class is all the way across the building and up stairs."

"Okay, see you in… algebra, right?" Allie said as he stood.

"Yeah, and don't forget after school." Tyler backed away, "bye."

"Bye…" Allie watched him walk off. He certainly was intriguing; A lone pillar of intelligence and civility in this otherwise unruly menagerie known as a public school. A revelation that only served to strengthen the primitive feelings Allie was struggling to suppress. 

* * *

"Your pretty good," Tyler rolled a soccer ball back out toward Allie and got back into position to block her next kick. "What position did you play?"

Allie grinned, "goalie," then kicked the ball high up into the top right corner of the goal. It missed the tips of Tyler's fingers by inches.

"Wow, got that one past me."

"You're not focusing enough."

Tyler picked up the ball, rolled it back out to her again, "how do you mean?"

"Try to imagine the ball on a string, like a yo-yo. It's not flying at you, it's coming back to you."

"Uh, I don't follow…"

"A yo-yo always returns to your hand because the string is tied there. If the ball is a yo-yo and the string is tied to your hand, the ball will always come to your hand."

Tyler scratched his head, "I think I'll call you 'Zen'."

Allie smiled, "that was hardly a Zen proverb," she rolled the ball back to him, "I'll show you what I mean." 

"Okay, but I can kick pretty hard."

"Don't worry about me," Allie took up position in front of the goal, Tyler took her spot on the field. 

"Ready?" he asked.

"Yeah," Allie moved toward the left side of the goal, pointed to the right, "don't kick it right to me."

"All right…" Tyler shrugged, kicked as hard as he could. The ball sailed up, toward the same area Allies last kick had sent it, but this time the ball met her hands instead of the net. It bounced back out toward Tyler.

He stood speechless for a while, then: "how…?"

Allie held up her right hand, pointed to it with her other, "its tied on right here." She grinned.

"I have to see that again."

Allie glanced behind him at several of the other players arriving for practice. _An audience… great, _she thought. "Okay, but just one more…"

Fifteen minutes and at least fifty blocks later, the whole team stood around watching. Most of them had tried to get a shot past her, all failed though. 

"Any—one else?" Allie panted, no one stepped up. 

"Are you okay?" Tyler called from behind the net. He stood with several of the coaches, boy's and girl's soccer, even a couple of the football and basketball coaches had wondered over to witness this display. 

"Yeah guys," the guys coach clapped several times to get the teams attention, "that's enough. Go, five laps!"

The group gave up a collective groan and slowly headed out toward the track that bordered the field. Allie headed back toward Tyler and the others where the girl's coach held a bottle of water through the net. 

"Thank you…" she took it gratefully, sucked half of it down before thinking.

"Young lady," the woman who had given her the water said, "that was incredible, I've never seen anyone move like that!"

"Yeah…" Tyler said, drawing the attention of his coach.

"You too Rivera, get out there." He said, pointed to the track.

Tyler looked at Allie once more then jogged out to the track, the girls coach started talking again: "what I'm trying to say, miss…" 

"Keys, Allie Keys." 

"…Miss Keys, is, have you ever considered playing on the team?"

Allie paused; she had been waiting for that question ever since the coaches got there, "um, this is my first day…"

"That explains why I didn't hear about you sooner…" the coach said, "it doesn't matter. What do you think Miss Keys?"

"I think I'll have to think about it…" 

"My name is Ms. Parker. After you think about it, will you please contact me in the athletics department… we could really use skill like yours on our team." 

Allie was about to speak when she felt the faint signature of a very familiar energy pattern enter her range of sensitivity. _Ka'len…_Allie thought, she must have come to see what was taking so long. 

"Okay, I will." Allie started to move away, "I have to go now."

It was only a short walk from the soccer field to the main road running in front of the school. Allie continued to home in on Ka'len's signal as she crossed the street, then she saw her. Standing at the corner a block down from the school.

"Are we ready?" Allie asked as she came closer.

"Yes, your mother is at home where you advised her to remain."

"Good, did you do what I asked?"

"Yes," Ka'len reached out and grabbed Allies hand, transferring a flash memory of the inside of the building at 667 Skyview lane.

"Good job, let's get this over with." Allie continued down the street with Ka'len falling into step behind her. So far so good, where Ka'len was concerned. Allie was still suspicious of Ka'len but decided to drop it; she had not given her any further reason to distrust her, so she decided it must have all been in her head in the first place. 

* * *


	8. chapter 8

Legacy: chapter 8

* * *

"Have you spotted them yet?" Allie asked Ka'len as the two walked along a sidewalk through a local neighborhood. The point of walking was to lose their pursuers, but so far, there had been no pursuers to lose. Maybe Mary had already attempted to prove herself, although Allie needed no proof of her change.

"I have not." Ka'len said, eyeing another passing car suspiciously. Allie knew that the part of town several blocks up the road in the direction they were currently heading turned very rough, very quick. The question Allie mulled over was: how far should they go before calling her mother for a ride? She wasn't afraid for her own or Ka'len's safety.

What worried her was that if any low-life scum were to attack them, she would have to defend herself. Using her abilities to injure or kill another human being would be about as hard as swatting a pesky mosquito. That fact was what bothered her the most. The awesome, almost absolute power within her was terrifying at times. A saying she remembered hearing and repeated often was: _power corrupts; absolute power corrupts absolutely. _It helped her to stay calm in trying situations and not just zap something. It also reminded her of the promise she had made herself: that she would never, under any circumstances, use her power to kill any living creature; injure, only if her own life was threatened, but never kill.

She sighed, "I should have asked for a cell phone the second I got here. First place with a pay phone I'll call my mom."

Ka'len listened to her then looked to the cars lining the street, "Could we not use one of these?" 

"Kay!" Allie gasped, "You want to steal a car?" 

Ka'len forced a smile onto her face, "I attempted to make a joke. It did not work…"

"Oh… oh! That was good, very good!" Allie tried to laugh, "seriously, that's a good sign, your learning."

"Yes, perhaps I will understand this place eventually."

"I know you will," Allie laid a hand on her friends shoulder, "there's a lot here that you can never learn studying research records." 

"Agreed, I have learned more from your 'television' in two weeks then I learned in the time I studied for this mission."

"Really?" Allie looked surprised, "and I thought TV was mind poison…"

Ka'len shrugged, "portions of the broadcasts are inconsequential refuse; 'talk shows' I believe you called them…" she cut it off as Allie started laughing, "have I misspoken?"

"Not exactly," Allie said giggling, "you just sound… like a robot off some movie when you talk."

Ka'len frowned "Is my use of this language incorrect?" 

"No, no. It's just unnatural." Allie said, "Like what you just said; I would have said: 'what's wrong with how I talk?' or something like that." 

"I believe I understand…"

"No… try it." Allie corrected.

"I… think I understand."

"See, better already and you only changed one word."

"I see. You wish me to substitute less complicated words."

"Exactly! Practice, rephrase what you just said…"

Ka'len focused for a moment, then: "you want me to use smaller words?" she looked to Allie for approval.

"Very good, now do that every time you say something and you will be fitting in before you know it."

Several minutes later a phone booth came into view, right in front of a dirty, rundown old bar. _Great…_ Allie thought, "you wait here, I'll go call her." She left Ka'len and ran down the sidewalk toward the phone.

* * *

The piles of books and papers on the table around Lisa grew taller with each passing minute. Instead of wasting time with idle entertainment she had pulled out her term paper materials and started in on it again. She enjoyed this work, it was much more tedious then the other things she could be doing, but something about it felt much more rewarding. Like she was actually _doing_ something for once. 

She reached out for her mug, found it empty. With a sigh, she laid the poor quality, black and white copy of a journal article she had been marking up with her highlighter down and headed off to the kitchen for a refill.

Coffee was the one bad habit she had managed to hold onto after Allie returned. She knew she was addicted to the stuff, it just didn't seem like a big enough deal for her to make a point to quit. Besides, it helps so much when your tired… or just need that good old oral fixation like Lisa was craving at the moment. 

In keeping with her normal luck, the coffeepot was empty. She had forgotten to start it back up again when she finished off the last cup. Lisa sat her mug down on the counter, precariously close to the edge, and reached up to get the box of filters and a can of coffee, not decaffeinated. She had considered switching, to cut down on the caffeine. But what's the point of taking away the only thing that kept her drinking the nasty tasting stuff? 

She went through the deeply ingrained motions of changing the filter, filling the tray, filling it with water. Lisa had gone through this routine so many times that the movements were almost reflexive, every one pre programmed into her procedural memory. However, her mug being so close to the sink and so close to the edge of the counter was never a factor in any of these movements. A thoughtless movement knocked the cheep ceramic cup off balance. It teetered on the edge for a second. Then it fell, slowly. Lisa watched the whole thing; she could see every minute detail of its decent. It seemed to move slower as the seconds passed. The one thing Lisa wanted more then anything was for it to stop in mid air so she could grab it. She didn't care about this particular mug; she just really didn't feel like cleaning up the mess that was moments away. 

Its decent grew slower still, now it was as if it was being lowered gently by some unseen hand. Lisa was aware of time passing normally around her, but all her attention was so totally focused on the mug that everything else was secondary, only the mug in the center seemed to have any substance in reality.

Then the mug stopped. 

Frozen in time and space mer inches off the floor.

It took several seconds for the realization to occur to Lisa. But a bird flying by the window, seen out of the corner of her eye, showed her. The mug really was frozen in place. How? 

Allie was gone, Ka'len too… so how could…

_Oh my god!_ Lisa's hands started to tremble. She tried to look at something else, anything else, but her eyes would not respond. They were fixed on the mug. Along with some other previously dormant and unreachable part of her subconscious mind which was keeping it in the air. _By my own will…_Lisa realized. She wanted it to stop, and it did just that. 

The phone rang, startling Lisa and breaking her concentration, sending the mug the rest of the way to the floor. Only resulting in a chipped rim instead of little pieces of ceramic all over the kitchen. 

Lisa's mind raced as she tried to rationalize what had just happened, what she had just _done_. The ringer on the phone sounded again, making her jump again. And she realized that time, or her perception of it, was off. It seemed that minutes were passing between each ring of the phone when in reality only a few seconds passed.

After three more rings, and three more startled jumps. Lisa remembered to answer the phone. She stumbled toward it, her legs seemingly still stuck in that punctuated time zone. Her hand reached out for the handset, but as she brought it up to her ear her whole arm started shaking violently. She reached up with the other to steady it.

"He—hello! Hello…" she accidentally shouted into the phone. The other end was silent for a while then Allie spoke.

"What's wrong?" she asked, her voice muffled and distorted.

"Allie! Allie… Allie…I need to talk to you… like **now**!" 

Again there was a long pause from Allie, then: "calm down, tell me what's wrong."

"I… I just…" Lisa hesitated.

"You just what?" Allie asked.

"I just did _something_!" 

"What do you mean, 'something'…" Allie paused, Lisa could hear her gasp over the phone, "you mean… you…"

"Yes! Yes, yes… I really need to see to you!"

"Mom, please calm down, it's alright. We..."

"It's not alright!" Lisa steadied herself on the counter as a piercing pain started to spread throughout her entire head. "God… now my head…"

"Headache?" Allie asked, "that's normal, it goes away pretty quick… listen, I'm running out of quarters here and we kind of need a ride." 

"Where are you?"

"The corner of 51st and Franklin."

"I'll be there in a minute…" Lisa paused, realizing where that intersection was. "What are you two doing there!?" she asked excitedly.

"Avoiding someone, I can explain on the way…"

* * *

"I still don't know if this is such a great idea." Keith's voice came over the radio beside Mary as she busily hacked away at the keyboard in front of her. On the screen of the computer was a satellite map of Seattle, small dots representing Keith and the other agent's locations moved slowly along the roads around the position Mary had calculated for Allie and her little friend. 

"What are you talking about?" Mary keyed up the hand mike, "its working great."

"I don't mean the system, I mean leaving you there all by yourself."

Mary grinned, "I'm touched that you're so concerned for my safety."

"The mother's leaving the house," another voice came over the radio, interrupting the conversation. Mary made note of that agent's location.

"Roger that agent Peterson, keep an eye on her." Keith's voice answered.

_What a bunch of idiots…_ Mary rolled her chair back across the dirty old wooden floor of the third story 'headquarters' toward a file cabinet. In the third drawer she found what she was looking for. The personal files on the members on that special ops team Keith kept threatening to call in. Mary was starting to develop a theory about Keith's true motives; she might find her proof in these files.

She rolled back over to the computer, moved the keyboard out of the way and laid out the small stack of folders. Opening the first one reviled nothing; she had never seen the young man before, so she moved that folder to the side. The next one showed her exactly what she was looking for though.

"Captain Lou Johnson…" she uttered the name under her breath as she stared at the picture. He was one of the ones that had gone on the 'ship' with her that night, she could remember his face clearly. It seemed he had recently been promoted from lieutenant.

The next folder was a shock, and it confirmed all her suspicions. "_Major_ Brian Pierce… Major…" Mary said aloud. That kid must have been very busy to go from lieutenant to major in five years. She read down the page further, learning that he was the leader of this small team. 

It was clear now that she and all of these airforce personnel were being used in some complex game. Why else pick Pierce to be the team leader? He had spent a lot of time with Allie and got quite attached to the girl; he even helped them all escape. What was Keith really planning?

"The mother just stopped, the two girls are getting in the car." Another voice said over the radio. Mary sighed, pulled the keyboard back in front of her. 

_Its time to play traffic control for the children…_

* * *

"What do you mean, 'do I know where Skyview is'?" Lisa asked, "I thought you wanted to go home."

"This is very important." Allie told her

Lisa looked over at her, saw that same you-know-I-can't-tell-you look in her eyes that she had had ever since her return. "Okay… but what am I supposed to do… I'm a little freaked out right now."

"Tell me exactly what happened." Allie said

"I, I was just making coffee and I knocked a mug off the counter and it stopped in mid air…"

Allie interrupted her; "did you want it to stop?"

"Yes…"

Allie looked back to Ka'len, both girls had an excited gleam in their eyes. "The hypothesis was correct. Being around us awakened her abilities."

"You mean you knew this would happen?" Lisa asked.

"No, we knew there was a strong chance of it happening." Allie said.

"And you didn't bother to warn me?"

Allie shrugged, "other things came up. It's not as big of a deal as it seems."

"Not a big deal!" Lisa yelled. She didn't think it was possible, but she was actually angry with her daughter. Allie sensed this too.

"Would it have still happened if you would have known it could happen?" Allie asked.

"No… I could have…" Lisa thought for a second, only becoming more frustrated that Allie was giving her riddles at a time like this. "I don't know! I guess it would have."

Allie grinned, "correct, it was inevitable. So weather you had knowledge of it or not is not of importance, it would have happened anyway. The only way to stop it now is if me and Ka'len leave."

"No!" Lisa's eyes pleaded, "I don't care what happens, your not leaving again…"

"I was only stating the fact." Allie said soothingly, "I already told you and dad that I'm here to stay." 

Lisa took a deep breath, focusing her attention back on the road as she noticed a street sign. They were close to where ever it was that Allie needed to go. "Okay, just… you have to help me, with all this alien stuff… I'm clueless." 

"You stopped the mug, you know how to use it good enough for now."

Lisa looked over, "but _I _didn't stop the mug. It was like my mind had a… mind of its own."

"Yes, the upper areas of consciousness have a certain independence to them," Allie smiled, "it just takes time to learn how to control it…"

"Allie," Ka'len spoke up from the back seat, "we are being followed."

"What!" Allie spun around to look out the back window, "where?" 

Ka'len simply pointed behind them, but an invisible synchronizing force guided Allies eyes right to the green car about a block down, that was indeed following them.

"Your right…" Allie turned back around.

"What do we do?" Lisa asked.

Allie didn't answer; she was already searching for the answer to that question. "There!" she pointed to an alleyway on the opposite side of the road, "turn in there!"

"But…" Lisa hesitated, tapped the breaks a little.

"Do it! Trust me…" 

In a moment of pure adrenaline, induced by that force Allies voice could carry when it needed to, Lisa spun the wheel to the left, sending the car sliding and lining up perfectly with the alley. What was supposed to be a gentle tap of the accelerator sent the car plunging into the dark, narrow passage. Only to squeal to a stop halfway, further passage blocked by a dumpster.

"Now what!" Lisa said excitedly, glanced over at Allie who was the image of calm.

"Relax," Allie said, "they cannot see what is not there."

"What…" Lisa turned around and watched as the green car screeched to a stop on the street and a man got out. He looked straight at them but did nothing but scratch his head in confusion. A feeling Lisa shared with him at the moment. Allie opened her door and stepped out.

"What are you doing?" Lisa was whispering for some reason, "he'll see you."

"No, he won't… unless I wanted him to," Allie told her as Ka'len got out to join her. "This is far enough."

"What should I do?" Lisa asked.

"The university district is close to here right?" Allie answered her with a question.

"Yes… just down the street…"

"And this friend you told me about, Dr. Miller. Will you be able to find her there?"

Lisa looked at her watch, "she might still be in her office, why?"

"Go to her, me and Ka'len will find you when we're done."

"Why?"

"She may be able to help." Allie said, "we should go now."

"Help? But… what do I tell her…"

Allie tilted her head to the side, "what else? The truth." 

* * *

The little dots racing around the map looked like mice franticly searching for a piece of cheese in a maze to Mary. She was finding it hard not to laugh at them. Judging by how close Allie, Lisa and that other girl were to her position last time they were seen she was almost one hundred percent sure what Allies destination was. Mary just wished the girl had picked a better time, like the middle of the night or something.

"Okay, everyone just stop for a second." Keith's voice came over the radio on the common channel. "They couldn't have just vanished into thin air. We need to regroup and get out bearings."

_Yeah, no way they could have vanished… ever hear of a screen Mr. I- read-all-the-old-reports? _Mary rolled her eyes. His stupidity was still enough to keep Mary entertained, even though she knew it was all an act, with her at center stage. That just made it all the more fun. Now that she knew he was playing her, she could play in turn just that much more effectively.

_What would he do if his little piece of Allie bait turned against the girl she was supposed to attract? _Mary laughed. She would have to run it past Allie when she got there, of course. 

"Mary, direct everyone into a grid pattern." Keith said. 

Mary keyed up, "ten-four good buddy," she giggled again, "everyone check in one by one and give your current location, starting with Agent Simmons." 

"35th and Lockwood," a deep voice answered back. Mary typed in the address and a targeting rectal came down, centering over one of the dots. 

"Okay Simmons, turn left onto Lockwood and go four blocks up. Take another Left onto 31st and hold for further instructions. Agent Peters, your next…"

A hand came around Mary's head and pointed to Simmons' dot, "you should have sent him here," Allie said.

Mary gasped, spun around, "how long have you been here!" her eyes shifted to the other girl standing behind Allie.

"'Ten-four good buddy'," Allie grinned, "nice touch…" 

"I… you… why didn't you say something?" Mary asked, still breathless 

"You were on that," Allie pointed to the mike in Mary's hand, "if I would have made a sound, my location would have been given away."

Mary squinted, "right… stupid question…"

Grabbing a nearby rolling chair Allie sat down facing Mary, "now, Miss Crawford. What do you have for me?"

Mary stared at her for a moment before remembering what she had said in their last conversation. "Oh… uh," Mary glanced around the room, her eyes falling on the folders she had discovered earlier. "I just found this, I think it's interesting." She pulled Pierces folder off the top and handed it to Allie.

Allie recognized the man immediately upon opening the folder, she looked back up to Mary, "what does he have to do with this?"

Mary smiled, "that _is_ the question… I think Keith is using me to get to you. This, right now, is exactly what he knew I was going to do."

"And you still do it…" Allie tensed up, preparing to run at the first indication of a trap.

"No, no, no… it's okay," Mary said, sensing the tension in Allie. "He didn't want me to see these," she held up the whole stack of files, "now I know what he's up too, and so do you."

"So?"

"A feint within a feint…" Ka'len said, drawing both Allie and Mary's attention.

"Yes, exactly…" Mary said, turned back to Allie, "who is this?"

Allie tipped her head back at Ka'len, "a friend, that's all you need to know… I understand what you mean now, this can be used to our advantage."

_Our…_ Mary focused her attention back on Allie. The girl certainly wasn't much for idle chatter, which was a good attitude to have considering her current location: ground zero of her enemy's headquarters.

"Yeah, I was thinking about that," Mary said, "he will think that I'm still in the dark, so what if I started doing the opposite of what he expects me to do…" a sly grin crept upon her face.

"You mean, play the obedient little soldier and try to help him as much as possible…" Allie started to share Mary's grin, "I like it."

"The first thing I think I should do is advise him to call in this airforce team."

Allies eyes lit up, "yeah! I want to see Mr. Pierce again. So I can think him for what he did…" her demeanor quickly switched back to serious, "what I need more then anything though, Miss Crawford, is time."

"Please, call me Mary." she told her. Mary was getting tired of the 'Miss Crawford' thing. Too formal. "How much time?"

Allie sighed, looked up at the ceiling as if an answer were painted there. "Two or three years," she said after a short period of deliberation. 

"Two or three! For what?" Mary asked, "why did you come back anyway?" 

Allie had come up with the figure based on the deep space transit time of the large diplomatic transports, but she could not tell Mary that. Ka'len, however, knew the transit times by heart. Allie failed to notice that her friend had fallen completely silent and motionless after the statement, a sure sign that she was going through a complex cycle of calculations based on the figure and her supposed 'mission'. 

"I can't tell you… yet." Allie said, "I just need it. Maybe I could cause something to happen…"

"No…" Mary put up a hand to stop her, concentrated hard for a minute, "Keith's 'division' of the NSA is not a legally existent branch of a government agency, a shadow organization."

"This helps…?" Allie asked, lost about what Mary was implying.

"Yes, it makes things very easy. All that I have to do is leak word about this secret government operation, with U.S. military assistance in a civilian area and with very shady reasons behind it and this whole place will be crawling with reporters in a matter of hours."

Allie became agitated, "I can't have that kind of attention aimed at me, not yet…" 

"Oh, don't worry about that, we'll _learn_ of the leak with enough time to destroy most of the evidence… which will make it all the more of a national news scandal." Mary grinned at the brilliance of her plan; Allie didn't seem that excited about it.

"Can you think of any other way?"

Mary thought, "sure, there are other ways… Keith could have an 'accident' while cleaning his gun… but none are as easy."

"I don't want anyone to get hurt…" Allie said, "but I also don't think we need that kind of media attention..."

"It was just a suggestion, I would never really do it" Mary lied through her teeth hoping Allie couldn't read her mind or something. In truth Mary would love nothing more then to kill that bastard Keith in the most painful way possible. She really had no idea why she felt such a strong hate for him. Keith was just… Keith. Did she need a reason to want to kill him?

"Perhaps Mary's idea should be 'plan B'." Ka'len said 

Allie looked back at her, "my thoughts exactly," she turned back to Mary, "for now I think you should try you idea: acting like you really want to catch me." Allie nodded toward the stack of files still sitting on the desk, "and call in the army people… let's see what happens."

"Right," Mary agreed, "no need to make any rash decisions… I'm not entirely sure how serious Keith really is about this whole thing. It seems that all his ideas involve more surveillance."

"He read the stuff about your old project?" Allie asked.

"Yeah, every report," Mary said. Allie grinned.

"Then maybe he's afraid of what I might _do_ to him." she said, then glanced past Mary at the monitor and Her face lost all traces of a joke. 

"Maybe…" Mary turned to the monitor. Several of the dots had converged on the building.

Ka'len moved to a window, "they are here." She said, looking out on the three cars that had pulled up out front.

"But why?" Mary asked.

Allie reached out and placed a finger on the radio, smoke started to rise from it. "You had technical difficulties, they are here to check on you."

Mary looked at the piece of smoldering equipment; "I don't…" she looked back up where Allie had been, found nothing. Ka'len was gone too. Mary sat in a daze for a second or two until foot steps could be heard in the nearby corridors, "oh shit!" she remembered the files.

In a flurry, almost without thinking. She grabbed the stack, flew over to the file cabinet, jammed them back where she had pulled them from and slammed it closed. She then looked around, making sure there was nothing else she left out, and her eyes fell on a fire extinguisher in the corner.

_Perfect!_ She grabbed it, headed back to the smoking radio. Keith came through the door just as Mary unleashed the first blast from the extinguisher.

"What the hell happened here?" Keith demanded, "you've been out of contact for ten minutes."

_Ten minutes…_ "Uh, this stupid thing screwed up, I though it had it fixed but then it caught on fire."

"Oh," Keith's expression softened, "I'll put in an order for a new one then…"


	9. chapter 9

A/N: the story's been heading a bit off track. Next chapter should get things actually moving forward again… but until then, enjoy:

Legacy: chapter 9

* * *

Tammy Miller's office at the University of Washington was surprisingly roomy as most faculty offices go. There was a large window at one end of the room with a wonderful view of the courtyard. The wall running directly behind Tammy's desk was covered floor to ceiling with bookcases. Lisa had managed to make out the names on most of the books while half listening to Tammy rattle off all the reasons why her story was impossible.

"Do you see my point?" Tammy asked, apparently out of ways to debunk.

"I see your point just fine, you just don't see mine." 

"Lisa," Tammy sighed, "this is exactly the reason that a therapist and patient should not be friends…"

"Because 'the therapist can no longer be objective and unbiased when dealing with a more personal issue's such as those involving friends and family members', I know. I'm not here as a patient though. I'm here as a friend, wanting to talk to a friend."

"That's why this frustrates me." Tammy said, "you're brilliant Lisa, if we could just get past the issues with the little green men."

"Gray, little gray men… they're not really men at all."

Tammy shook her head; "it doesn't matter because they don't exist! Don't you see Lisa? UFOs and abduction stories are a product of some deep urge to be a part of a trend, to be in the 'in crowd'."

Lisa laughed; she had learned to let comments like those roll right off her. Besides, she knew that any moment Allie would be there to prove her correct. "'In crowd'? Do I really look like the type who follows fads?"

"No," Tammy thought for a minute, "that's even more perplexing."

"Don't worry," Lisa laughed a bit, "it will all be perfectly clear soon."

* * *

"This structure is poorly planned," Ka'len said as the two girls wondered through the halls of the fine arts building. So far only a few people had noticed them in the building, those who did assumed they were students. It had been easier to get in then Allie had thought. Finding her mother was another problem. Her signal was not as strong as Ka'len's so homing was a hit and miss affair. She could only identify a general area, the dirty work of pinning down the exact location had do be done the old fashion way.

They turned left down another long hall. A bulletin board on the wall caught Allies eye, she stopped to read a flyer up close. 'Developmental psychology…' she skipped down to the point that had caught her eye. 'Dr. Tammy Miller. Enquirer at ext. 1594 or in office # D2070'

"Well, here's the office number," Allie said, "now we just have to find it…"

Several of the doors up and down the hall opened almost in unison and students began pilling out. Allie grabbed Ka'len, directed her to the wall beside her.

"Stick together, don't act lost or ask any questions. Try to blend in." Allie said as the two started inching back down the hall in the direction they had just come from.

"Its upstairs." Allie said with certainty, "that narrows our search a lot."

"How can you be sure?" Ka'len asked.

"The room numbers," 

Ka'len glanced at one of the little plaques by the doors, "they do not seem helpful."

"All the numbers on this level started with D1, same in the other buildings only with a different letter with the number."

"D is this building then." Ka'len concluded, Allie nodded.

"And all the numbers so far have started with one, so two must be upstairs."

Ka'len found logic in Allies conclusion, fell silent and walked along beside her.

Allie glanced over at a group of passing students, she nudged Ka'len into step behind them.

It was a quick walk to the end of the corridor following the flow of the rest of the people. There they found a wide staircase leading to the second floor. Allie started up the left side with Ka'len right behind her. Avoiding eye contact with the masses making their way down the stairs was a difficult task. But Allie was still amazed by how well she and Ka'len fit in among men and women who were much older then them. Those that did look at them just turned back to what they were doing, not giving them a second glance.

Stepping onto the tiles of the second floor of the fine arts building, Allie felt an alternate sensation of relief and discouragement. There seemed to be far fewer students crowding the hall, but that hall seemed to stretch on, far into the distance. With doors covering both walls. She looked to the right, down a short connecting corridor and knew that the same scene played out on the other side of the building.

She sighed, "we better get started." Allie moved of toward the marker beside the first door, Ka'len didn't move.

"Would it not be faster if I looked on this side?" she asked, Allie turned.

"It would be faster but I don't think we should split up…" Allie thought for a moment. What was the point? "Go ahead, I'll meet you at the end."

* * *

"And Allie..." Tammy, Lisa could tell, was charging back up for another round. "You told me she was abducted five years ago, when you first started coming to me. Now she's back all the sudden?"

"She wasn't abducted, she went by choice. And yes, she's back all the sudden." Lisa fired back, drawing a drained, frustrated sigh from Tammy.

"Ok, granted she's back for some reason. That doesn't explain why you're just now telling me. You say she came back several weeks ago…"

"Two and a half weeks ago," Lisa interjected, "and I wanted to tell you, I wanted to tell everyone, but she thought it might draw unneeded attention from the government."

"The government is not watching you Lisa. Is that what you think?" 

"No!" Lisa almost shouted, but managed to control her excitement. "No… for one, I _know_ they are watching us…"

"'Us' is?" Tammy asked.

"Me, Charlie and Allie… and the alien who's living with us… but mostly Allie."

"Alien living with you?" Tammy asked, her voice now full of concern. "You're regressing…"

"Listen," Lisa cut her off, "I know this all sounds crazy—that I sound crazy—but I promise you, it's the truth. Allie will be here soon, then you will see."

"You keep saying that," Tammy glanced at her watch, "but it's almost been an hour…" she was cut off by a gentle tapping at the door. Tammy looked at Lisa.

"Soon is soon." Lisa said with a grin as Tammy stood from behind her desk. 

* * *

Ka'len stood outside the closed door of office D2070. The inscription read 'Dr. Tammy Miller'. Several seconds passed after she knocked, nothing yet. She raised her fist to knock again just as the door opened. An uneasy, almost spooked face greeted her.

"Hello." Ka'len said before the woman could speak. 

"May—may I help you?" Tammy asked.

Lisa leaned forward, peering through the door with a confused look on her face, "Ka'len?"

"Ka…len?" Tammy glanced back at Lisa

"Where's Allie?" Lisa asked.

Ka'len looked down the hall, "she is still searching for this office."

Tammy, not knowing what else to do, stepped back from the door, allowing the girl to enter. "Who is this, Lisa?" she asked.

"Oh, well I don't know if you'll believe me if I told you," Lisa said dismissively as Ka'len tentatively stepped in, surveying the contents of the room. 

Tammy closed the door and crossed back toward her desk, looking the girl over, "try me."

"This is," Lisa grinned, "the 'alien who's living with us'."

Ka'len came to a stop beside Lisa's chair, turned toward Tammy.

Tammy's lips curled into a smile matching Lisa's "seriously, who is this?"

"I am Ka'len," she spoke for herself, "Lisa speaks the truth."

"But your not… an 'alien'" Tammy said as if she were telling Ka'len how it was.

"Indeed I am what you would call an 'alien'." Ka'len countered, "although your race appears 'alien' to me."

"It equals out!" Lisa laughed.

"No… no, there's no way. There has never been any proof of the existence of life off of earth… not to mention the distances involved in space travel, there's no way…"

Ka'len looked to Lisa for permission, Lisa nodded. A gold plated pen lying on Tammy's desk immediately rotated upright, standing on end for a second before raising several feet off the desk. Tammy's jaw dropped as the pen zipped through the air and was deposited into Ka'len's waiting hand. She held the pen up in the light.

"These writing implements _were_ 'alien' to me… this one is very beautiful." Ka'len said as she released the pen, sent it back toward Tammy and the desk.

"That's…" Tammy swallowed, looking quickly between Lisa, the pen, and the girl. "What was that?" she finally asked.

"What did it look like?" Lisa said

"Like a flying pen… but that's not…"

"Possible, I know," Lisa motioned to Ka'len. "Tell that to her."

Tammy reached out, flicked the pen with her index finger causing it to spin. "How…" another knock at the door stopped her. She looked up to Lisa, who shrugged.

As Tammy started to get up, Ka'len looked toward the door, it swung open silently, revealing Allie standing on the other side. Tammy collapsed back into her chair, stunned silent.

Allie watched the door open, looked up to Ka'len, "I see you've started without me," she said, entered the room, "excellent, if we act quickly we can keep anything bad from happening."

"Wait," Lisa's smile faded, "bad? I thought you said this was no big deal?" 

Allie paused, she had said too much too soon, "it's not… don't worry. The sooner you learn to control the energy, the better you will adapt, that's all." But Allie knew the real reason. Untrained use of her abilities could drain her mother to the brink of death without warning. Much like what had happened to her, even though Allie had been born with a certain level of natural control. Overuse still led to energy depletion. And Lisa could over use her powers without even knowing it.

"So… what do I do?" Lisa asked. Tammy had given up trying to understand what she had just seen. She now silently scanned between the new faces in the room and Lisa, listening intently to every word. The one that had just entered, she decided, had to be Allie. The girl's soft voice carried such certainty, such serenity. Yet Tammy could feel a definite 'energy' in the air. Almost like touching the _Van de graff_ generator in the physic lab. She looked at a mirror on the wall opposite her desk fully expecting her hair to be standing on end. Allie was talking to the other one… "kahlen"? Tammy still wasn't quite clear on the pronunciation.

"You have been through the training," Allie said to Ka'len, "you know the early stages better then I do."

Ka'len nodded.

"Training?" Lisa glanced back at Ka'len, confused, "but I thought these powers were part of you."

"They are," Ka'len said, "however, unlike Allie, normal Xe are not born with the ability to control them at will."

"They go through a training process," Allie took over, "designed to first connect the conscious part of the mind, the part that thinks, feels, speaks…" Lisa motioned with her hand to get to the point.

"Sorry honey," Lisa said, "but I'm a psyc major, I know a bit about how the mind works… thought it might save you some time."

Allie smiled, "of course, I forgot." She remembered the other person in the room, who she had been so rude as to not even say hello to. Turning toward Tammy, Allie was met by a searching look on the woman's face. "Hi…" Allie said, "my name is Allie…"

"I--I know," Tammy stammered shortly, regained composure, "Lisa has told me a lot about you…"

"As she has spoken well of you," Allie nodded in acknowledgment. She also acknowledged her own language. '_As she had spoken well of you?' Where did I pull that from?_ Allie began to feel again that the influence her time with the Xe had imparted upon her was far deeper then she could imagine. Or was it them at all? She had so much locked inside her mind that had always been there. Maybe her perceived changing was an effect of the mission she had practically been created to perform. 

"You may like this," Allie said, speaking to Tammy, "what we are about to do should be right up your…alley." She chuckled silently to her self; her name had a very interesting synonym.

"What are you about to do?" Tammy asked, her initial uneasiness now replaced by her scientific curiosity.

"I would like to know that too, since it's me were talking about." Lisa said, Allie turned and smiled at her mother.

"The first stages of this training process are much like hypnosis," Allie looked back to Tammy, "I assume you are familiar with several forms?"

Tammy nodded, Allie continued.

"Good, I thought you might be of help—" Allie turned back to Lisa without breaking cadence, "—because the training process is designed for Xean minds, the human brain functions quite differently."

"So what can I do?" Tammy asked.

"Simple, hypnotize me and my mother at the same time."

* * *

Meanwhile, at the makeshift NSA headquarters several blocks away, All the agents had been called back as Mary and Keith studied the satellite map, formulating a new plan. 

"I think its safe to assume she's long gone now." Keith said, "We would be best to set up back at the house and wait for them to return."

Mary looked at him, "you just love to give up don't you? How did you ever get to the head of a division?"

"There are a lot of things you don't know about me Miss Crawford." Keith had a sly grin on his face, "and I would prefer to keep it that way,"

_Miss Crawford?_ Mary thought, "Agent Sheppard," she addressed him in a very formal manner, causing him to pause and listen, "am I not an official agent of the NSA now?" she asked.

"Yeah," Keith nodded, "I guess."

"Then will you please address me as Agent Crawford from now on." Mary said. Keith recognized the cold, bureaucratic tone. It confused him monetarily; Mary had never said anything like that before.

He laughed a little, "yes ma'am." Mary glared at him, forcing the smile from his lips, "Geez, what crawled up your as…"

"Don't even!" Mary snapped, whirled away from the computer. Two agents stood in her way; she shot an icy stare through them both, causing them to slink out of her way.

"Mary… Agent Crawford," Keith turned, "seriously. What has gotten in to you!" his voice was intense but barely above a normal conversational volume.

"What's gotten in to me?!" Mary spun on her heels again, "how about watching you blow chance after chance to end this thing?"

"What do you mean?"

"Are you incredibly stupid or just blind!" Mary demanded, "the girl! We have had many opportunities to catch her and yet, something happens each time that stops us short! It's always surveillance, surveillance, surveillance… when are we going to act?"

Keith realized his mouth was hanging open. This was defiantly out of Mary's normal character, "well, we need information before…" Keith stopped as Mary threw her hands up in frustration, walked to the window and crossed her arms over her chest, staring out into the dirty, rat infested alley below. 

The room remained silent for several long minutes as Keith and the other agents looked to each other for some clue of what was going on, what had set her off like this. They had all been around her for two, going on three weeks now, and never in that time had any one of them seen such an emotional outburst from Mary. Her time of the month, perhaps?

Mary turned back into the room, the window casting her in an eerie silhouette, "we need a new card to play," she said, her voice unsettlingly calm and calculating, "something new to throw into the mix…"

She looked dead at Keith, appearing to have just had a revelation, "the Special Forces team!"

"Yeah, what about them?" Keith asked.

"Make the call… bring them in." Mary said as she strode back across the dusty floor toward the computer.

"What? I thought you said…"

"I know what I said!" Mary once again glared at him, Keith now realized that he was actually feeling fear because of this woman. No one could intimidate him! At least he thought.

Mary watched Keith dig for his cell phone. He pulled it out and turned his back to her. _Exeunt, _Mary thought. Her first act was over. She just hoped she didn't overdo it. 

* * *

In Tammy's office, Allie's idea was already underway. 

"Relax," Tammy held that same gold plated pen motionless before her, Lisa and Allie stared at it intently. Ka'len was amusing herself rummaging through the myriad of books on the doctors shelves.

"Focus in the pen," Tammy continued, her voice as smooth as velvet, "let all you thoughts fade away, don't force them, just let them fall away." She could tell that Lisa was already going under. After several sessions, a person can almost hypnotize themselves so it wasn't surprising. Allie, on the other hand seemed completely alert, she even grinned at Tammy's repetitive statements. _Yeah, _Tammy thought, _I feel just as ridiculous as you I bet._

Lisa looked completely gone, Tammy sat the pen down, "Lisa?" she called softly.

"Yes?" Lisa responded, Tammy knew she was gone from the tone of her voice.

"Would you please hold out your hand." Tammy said, Lisa complied. "Now imagine a heavy weight placed in your palm." 

Lisa's arm dropped, her face contorted slightly as if she were straining to hold something heavy.

"The weight is removed," Tammy said, Lisa returned her arm to its previous position. _Test passed, _Tammy thought. But there was still Allie.

Tammy looked toward the girl.

Allie smiled, "I don't think it worked."

"Guess not." Tammy reached for the pen, "try again?"

"No, I can improvise something." Allie said. Tammy felt that static charge in the air returning as Allie reached for Lisa's hand, "I just didn't know how to get her in the trance, I can take it from here."

"Oh… okay," Tammy was unclear about what Allie meant. '_I can take it from here?_' several seconds later, she found out.

Allie closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, almost simultaneously, the static charge in the air around Tammy increased ten-fold. Now, she was sure her hair had to be standing on end. An invisible shock wave hit her next, knocking the breath out of her lungs. Lisa and Allie, however, appeared peacefully asleep. 

Ka'len sensed the fear in the woman, "it is complicated to explain, but safe," she said. Tammy turned urgently.

"What? What just happened?"

Ka'len searched her dictionary like knowledge of human languages for a human term to represent it, only one phrase came to mind, "power surge."

* * *

Lisa's eyes remained shut tightly. She listened to her breathing, concentrated on it. Letting herself sink deeper and deeper into the trance. Lisa knew this game well; all her regressions had conditioned her perfectly for an extremely high degree of hypnotic suggestion, a hypnotist's dream.

There was a momentary sensation of weightlessness. _Something new_, she commented to herself. Then she started to hear things, Very faintly at first. But growing ever louder and more tangible by the second. A rustling sound. Fabric. No, grass! 

__

Grass?

She tried to block it out, but a new sensation started building. Warmth, on her face and arms. The Sun. it was unmistakable, but still Lisa tried to block it out.

Next, a scent hit her nostrils. She had smelled it once before; the wildflowers at her grandmother's house in Texas. It, too, was unmistakable. A one-of-a-kind smell. It had to be… but she refused to open her eyes. It was just a mind trick, memories trickling in from the corners of her consciousness. None of it was really there; she was on the second floor of the University, in Seattle, miles away from Lubbock.

The rustling wings and the joyful song of a pair of mockingbirds jarred her again, this time she peeked an eye open… then bolted upright as the scene laid out before her sunk in.

Lisa found herself sitting in the middle of a field. Tall, uncut grass and weeds swayed in the breeze around her. She was on her feet in another instant, mouth hung wide in disbelief. It took several more seconds for her to notice the two story farm house to her left.

_What the hell?_ She rubbed her eyes, it was all still there. _This is really new!_ She thought as she spun around once more, taking in the unbelievable scene. 

_I'm under hypnosis…_ she told herself, but it didn't help. It all seemed so real!

After one last spin, Lisa stopped facing the house. She was almost 100 yards away but she could see that the front door was hanging open, flapping gently in the wind.

"Why not?" she shrugged and started heading toward the house. 

"Hello?" she called out as she stepped up the last step onto the porch, "is anyone here?" _of course no ones here, idiot._

She entered. The house was nothing like she last remembered it; the night Allie had gone. It was clean, not a speck of dust in sight. Her father had told her about how compulsive her grandmother had been about dusting. He had also wanted to tell her other things, things that to this day Lisa wished she had never found out. He never had a chance. His abilities drained him, and eventually killed him.

Lisa paused as she entered the living room. Someone was here! Allie. At least it looked like her.

"Ah… Allie?" Lisa said timidly, almost afraid of the possibilities that the girl wasn't Allie. No answer.

"Honey?" Lisa moved toward the girl.

"Grandpa Jacob was a handsome man." Allie said, she leaned back to reveal a photo album on the coffee table before her. Lisa didn't know what to say first.

"Yes, yes he was." She moved toward Allie, knelt on the floor beside her. The floor felt real enough.

"I wish I could have met him." Allie flipped another page, settling on a large photo of Sally Clark.

"Grandma…" Lisa said, as she caught a glimpse of the photo. 

Allie stared at it for a while, then turned to Lisa smiling, "you know, John named a ship after her."

"Really?" Lisa was surprised by the sudden change of subject. Even though she knew all too well that Aliens existed, and intergalactic space travel was possible, happening right this moment. She still felt like a character in _Star Trek_ every time the subject came up.

"Yeah, it's probably the command vessel by now, John was favored to become supreme fleet commander when I returned…" Allie said.

The far off look in Allies eyes brought a sudden revelation upon Lisa: Allie must miss her new "family" with _them_ as much as she had missed her real family while she was gone. It was detesting to even consider it, but Lisa knew how profoundly Allie had changed. It was a result of only one thing: friends.

"Anyway!" Allie spoke loudly, startling Lisa. The photo album closed of its own volition and promptly vanished in a small, but brilliant flash. "We should get started." Allie stood and headed toward the front entryway. Lisa followed.

"Why are we here?" 

Allie stopped, "I don't know, I wanted something new." She turned back toward the door and exited onto the porch while Lisa contemplated her statement. Lisa ran after her.

"Something new?" Lisa caught up and followed Allie down the steps, into the grass once again. "What do you mean?"

"I was getting tired of the blank white screen. Decided to remember this instead."

Lisa stopped, puzzled look on her face. Allie continued out onto a path.

"Wait, you mean this is one of those fake things? We're not really here?" 

Allie turned, "of course, this kind of travel could only be accomplished using ship based transporter arrays." 

"Oh…" Lisa moved to catch up once again. Along the way she reached out and pinched the head off a tall grass seedpod, brought it to her mouth and bit down. The bitter taste screamed 'real!' She spit it out.

Allie laughed, "this is all as real as you and me."

"But how?" Lisa asked.

"What is reality?"

Lisa thought about the question, it seemed pointless. "I don't know, everything?"

"Reality is what we see, what we hear… all that stuff." Allie swung her hand out, tracing the flight of the pair of mocking birds as they flew by. "And all these things, or our perception of these things, are controlled by our…" she let the word hang, for Lisa to answer.

"Brain?"

"Yes, the mind is the key to reality. What does a blind person see?"

Again, Lisa was stumped by a seemingly simple question, "nothing?"

"No, he sees his reality, everything that is real to him."

"But?" Lisa protested. "The only thing a blind person can see is blackness…"

The scene around them dissolved into a pure black. Lisa could not even see her hand in front of her face.

"The blackness is not real?" 

Lisa was speechless; she understood where Allie was going now. Reality is in the eye of the beholder. "I get it!"

The blackness fell away, revealing the same scene in the front yard of the farmhouse. "Good," Allie said, then turned and continued down the path. Lisa jogged to return to her side. 

"Things are only as real as you want them to be, you will learn this concept well by the time we're done." Allie's voice barely wavered from a flat monotone. Lisa was starting to become unnerved by her daughter's behavior. She didn't like seeing her like this.

"But. What about a bullet from a gun?" Lisa countered, "that seems pretty real if someone fires it at you."

Allie grinned, "yes, it does. Unless you know how to make it unreal."

Again Lisa was stunned. _Unreal?_ Now she was sure she was a character in a movie. 

"You don't understand?" Allie glanced up at her. Then, several hundred yards down the path, a huge semi-truck appeared, barreling toward them. Lisa tried to grab Allie and pull her off the road but she would not budge, and instead, grabbed Lisa's arm and held her in place. Lisa clamped her eyes shut, preparing to be smashed into a grease spot on the gravel, but no impact came. She looked up, the truck was gone. But it could still be heard speeding down the road behind them. Lisa didn't dare turn to watch it.

"See," Allie, said, "only as real as you want it to be."

"But… it wasn't real at all, none of this is."

Allie frowned; her mother still refused to understand. "No. This, all around us. This is real."

"No, its not," Lisa countered, "we're both sitting in a room in the University…" she trailed as Allie walked off the path toward one wildflower that seemed to stand out from the rest, Lisa followed.

"Pick this flower." Allie said flatly, pointing at the one Lisa had spotted. As Lisa pulled on the stem, a single bee buzzed out, circled her body once then angrily plunged its stinger into her forearm.

"Shit!" Lisa jumped back, her arm now throbbing, a red bump forming around the pulsating stinger still imbedded in her arm. Allie just smiled, it seemed to Lisa that she might burst into laughter at any moment.

"You see yet? This is very real."

"It feels real…"

"No!" Allie cut her off, frustrated, "what I'm trying to tell you is that reality is controlled by your mind. Even though our real bodies are not in this actual location, we are still very much here."

"Okay," Lisa concentrated for a moment, "but what does this have to do with me stopping a mug in mid air?"

"Everything!" Allie's said, "you must lay a foundation before you can build a house."

It clicked at that moment for Lisa. What this was about. The 'first lesson'. Allie was trying to give her a sort of fundamental education, an introduction to the concepts which these powers function under.

"I… understand," Lisa said. Allie knew she was telling the truth.

"I knew you would, its not that complicated."

"What next?" Lisa asked, and immediately wished she hadn't. In the grass several yards away, a new sound started. Lisa had never heard it in person before but it set off a whole set of primal warnings in her mind. The rattling grew louder, more agitated, and was joined by an angry hissing. The animal making the sound could only be one thing.

"Rattlesnake!" Lisa jumped back, searching franticly through the grass until she saw it. A huge animal, coiled up and ready to strike. And not even three feet away from it stood Allie. Lisa's heart stopped.

"A test," Allie said, unfazed by the creature's presence.

Lisa couldn't speak, _what the hell kind of test!_

"Believe that the snake is not real, and it will disappear." Allie told her

"What!" Lisa screamed, causing the snake to inch closer to Allie.

"This is just baby steps here mom, anyone can do it. Concentrate."

"But I don't know how…"

"Yes you do!" Allie's said forcefully. Something in her words filled Lisa with confidence. She shut her eyes tightly, picturing the animal in her mind.

_Its not real, its not real…_ she repeated the simple phrase over and over in her mind. She could feel the calming effects of the mantra almost immediately, but she could also still hear the beating of the creature's rattle. And Lisa knew how perilously close the animal was to her daughter. If the bee sting had been real, Lisa could only assume that a snakebite would be just as real.

_There is no snake here,_ Lisa changed the pace a bit, _it's a cute little puppy, or a kitten. There is no snake here._

The rattling stopped, but still Lisa's eyes remained clamped tightly shut, the mantra still rolling through her head. Until she felt something licking at her toes.

"Very good!" Allie said. Lisa opened her eyes and looked down to find a puppy, busily slobbering away on her feet.

"You did a transformation on your first try!" Allie walked over and picked up the puppy. "This won't take long at all." The dog vanished into thin air.

Lisa was stunned; she really had just done it! And it was easier then she could have imagined. Allie started talking again.

"That is the first lesson. But one last thing I must tell you is that: there is a difference between this reality and the true reality we live in. although to you at this point, this world is just as real as the "real" world. As you learn more, you will start to see the differences."

"Why couldn't you just tell me these things, without all this?" Lisa asked.

"Because manipulation of molecular structure in order to change reality in the real world if infinitely harder then what you just did with the snake."

_Manipulation of molecular structure?_ "You didn't tell me anything about manipulating structures."

"I know." Allie smiled, "that comes with time, for now you just need the concept, and the knowledge that it's possible."

"But is that how you… _do_ things, change stuff on a molecular scale?"

"Yes, in simplest terms." Allie said, "there is a 'thread' that connects every speck of matter in the universe, some might call this force "god", but it is not supernatural in the least. It is a binding force, much like gravity. They way I, the Xe, and soon, you, change things is by using this thread."

Lisa's mouth hung limp, Allie continued.

"There really isn't any simpler way I can explain it…"

"I think I get it…"

Allie grinned, "I know what you're thinking."

"Yeah, I never thought anything could surprise me anymore… but that information is stranger then a whole sky full of UFOs!"

Allie laughed, "Just wait till you learn to see the thread!" 

* * *


	10. chapter 10

A/N: I need feedback on this one. Let me know if you think its convencing or if the aliens seem too 'human'

Legacy: chapter 10

* * *

Millions of light years from earth, another type of education was underway. Has'n, or the name he preferred: John, sat apprehensively behind a communications console on the bridge of the Sally. This was his first deployment as the new _Nas'LetenI_, Supreme commander of the entire Xean fleet. A position appointed for life. 

It was not the responsibilities of the job that made him nervous. He had trained his entire life for this. 

It was his mission, handed down from Councilor Seshran herself. The High Council came to the conclusion after much deliberation, that the situation on _Ly127 _(Earth) had to be resolved much sooner then originally planned.

And so John sat, watching the small group of gigantic vessels assemble before his command craft like a flotilla of lumbering giants. The view from the flickering projection screen was anything but majestic, however John could not abandon his post on the bridge for the observation area several levels up. 

__

He, was what this was all about. _He,_ was the final word on the movements of all these craft assembled before him. No one on any of the six ships did anything without his permission. And yet, all he could think about was his 'great granddaughter' Allie.

She was, for all intensive purposes, alone on Earth. Trying to figure out how to carry out a mission that John knew was way too much for her. Even too much for himself if he was in her position. At least with this new change in the plans, she was off the hook. 

The responsibility was placed squarely on his shoulders, and those of the several diplomatic specialists who were given special clearance to make the passage onboard the Sally. A military ship. Diplomats never traveled on military vessels. It was contradictory to the whole definition of diplomacy. But in this circumstance, John knew better then to argue in favor of traditions. 

He knew the real reason for the advance in the timetable.

Talks of truce with the Adneans, a race almost as advanced as the Xe, were underway, and not going well. The Adnean aggression had gone on long enough. And the Council was tired of it. John knew that a forward position near Earth would put the Xe at an even more advantageous position to launch a full-scale assault on the Adneans. 

The High Council, while peaceful, was not afraid to answer aggression with proportional response. And the weapons system on just one _Staris_ class vessel, like the Sally, could, in theory, wipe out the entirety of the Adnean Fleet. A thought that did not sit well with John. After all, why is a forward base needed if one ship could do the job?

Before Allie, everything was done in the most efficient way possible. Only the traditions of government went unaffected by the strict orderliness. Using weapons on an enemy was viewed as the quickest way to end the problem. No thought was given to what war meant. _Death_ and _killing_ were viewed as tools. Life was measured by the value one represented to the society.

After Allie had come, changes swept through the Xean galaxies. In only three cycles, the whole Xean thought pattern shifted. Peace and understanding were the driving forces now. However, it seemed that war was imminent.

John wondered how a full-scale campaign would sit with some of the fringe colonies. Things had shifted so far in some of them that the long dead religions of the ancients started resurfacing. Mainly Zx'al philosophy, which was remembered due to some of Allies sayings. Some viewed her as a reincarnated prophet. Most, however, know better.

Religion was, after all, invented by less intelligent creatures to explain things they could not understand. An affliction the Xe had risen over many centuries ago. But with this resurgence, came the illogical and dangerous thought patterns that were so common on Earth and other primitive worlds.

War with the enemy might provoke a war from within. Religious zealots against the rest of the society. It had happened before. And the conditions were ripe for another colonial uprising. Which, of course, would bring council orders to John to vaporize the offending colony. 

Allie had brought changes. Unfortunately, some things can never be changed. As long as there is a race of sentient beings with a free and independent will, there will be war. 

"_Nas'LetenI,_" a soft voice spoke from behind the command console, "commander, the vessels are prepared for subspace warp, upon your command"

John recognized the voice and the energy pattern as that of Jier, one of his handpicked officers. Without responding, John slid his right hand forward on the silvery pad on the arm of his chair, his long, gray, extra jointed finger stopped precisely over a tiny marking. The projection screen before him flickered, then disappeared. But was soon replaced as the metallic gray interior of the bridge was lit up by projection screens from every wall.

Dead center of the bridge was the largest projection; it displayed a huge grid pattern star map detailing the computed subspace jump corridor.

"Systems on all vessels have been converted to the units of time and measurement used on Ly127." Jier reported, still John did not respond.

Instead, he moved his left hand in an arc across the pad on the left arm of the chair. Several moments later, there was a sharp, reverberating thud that echoed throughout the entire ship, caused by the jump engines, and the massive amounts of power they absorb from other systems, including the gravity and anti-gravity generators.

"Thank you Jier," john stood, large almond shaped eyes still fixed on the star chart in front of him, "you may return to your quarters." 

Jier nodded, then vanished. John lingered several more seconds, making note of the estimated transit time displayed at the bottom of the screen, '22 days', then in a flash, he too was gone from the bridge.

* * *

The view from the observation deck has always been John's favorite; he gazed out at the collection of other ships, all slowly rotating to face the plotted direction. It was beautiful, in a way. The gleaming metal craft, most more then two kilometers in length, shining brightly in the reflected pink light from the nearby solar source of this star system.

Most of the ships had lined up now. The expanding energy field created by their subspace drives was already visible before the first ship in the group. 

This was the part John never grew tired of watching.

The subspace distortion grew larger until a brilliant flash emanated out from the void of space. When it subsided, all that was left was a starless window surrounded by what appeared to be a border of white energy. A 'subspace window'. A hole identical to this one, john knew, had just opened up hundreds of light-years away. Just outside the 'ort cloud' of the star system containing Ly127, Earth.

The lead craft slowly moved forward, disappearing into the hole, followed by another, then the Sally entered.

John remained on the observation deck for a while, staring out into the starless void. It appeared as if the six craft were motions in the utter blackness. But in reality, it was the absence of a reference point that caused that illusion. The craft were indeed traveling many times the speed of light. 

Satisfied by the light show, John retired to his quarters in a flash of energy. 


	11. chapter 11

A/N: I forgot to mention this when he was first brought into the story: Bryan Pierce is not my character, he is Lieutenant Pierce from Taken, I just needed a first name for him and he looked like a Bryan to me. So, he still belongs to good old Les Bohem (lucky bastard). 

Legacy: chapter 11

* * *

Mary watched the activity on the street below as a construction crew moved box after heavy box into the ground floor of their rundown apartment turned NSA operational headquarters. The disguised crew was courtesy of the U.S. Air Force Special Forces, and the boxes apparently contained the weapons and other gear that their 'helpers' had shipped separately in order to conserve a small measure of secrecy. This operation was already drawing attention from the neighbors. The fake crew was intended to create the impression that this building was being renovated. Anything to maintain the cover.

The cover that was so important that the Special Ops unit had trickled in over the past week. One at a time, dressed in civilian street clothes and doing their best to enter the building through a hidden entrance. The last member of the unit to arrive was its commander, Major Bryan Pierce. 

Mary waited nervously all week. By her logic, Pierce should have been the first to arrive. Now that he was here, she waited for a good time to confront him. She had seen some of the other familiar faces from the previous project. They all had about the same confused reaction. But it was Pierce Mary was worried about. He would be a different story. Mary had talked with him once before when he was still a Lieutenant. The day after the 'ship' had 'taken' Allie, and he had aided the girl's true escape.

If there was anyone on earth Mary knew she could trust to help her help Allie, he was the man. The only problem: she was the last person in the world he would trust.

Mary just felt it. When she had spoken with him that day five years earlier, she could see the contempt in his eyes.

Mary also knew that, once he learned what the assignment they were to carry out was, he would be the first to try to stop it. So they were both soldiers on the same side of the battlefield, Mary just had to find a way to convince Pierce of that.

The 'construction crew' piled into their now empty truck and sped away. 

Mary watched the truck disappear around a corner, swallowed hard, _now is as good a time as any._

She had no idea how to reveal herself to the major while still keeping Keith in the dark. This would be one of her most challenging performances yet.

* * *

"Mary… Agent Crawford, what are you doing?" Keith called from the elevator behind her as she strode confidently toward the door leading to the room where the temporary field base had been set up. 

"I would like to speak our helpers," Mary turned and glared at Keith, "is that agreeable to you, Agent Sheppard?"

"I have something to tell you about that." Keith replied, holding the door of the old elevator open.

"Well, what is it?" Mary asked impatiently.

"I've decided to hand the military part of this over to you."

_Me…_ Mary was stunned, she had expected some seemingly bad decisions from the man but nothing this blatantly idiotic… He _was_ still playing his game, after all. 

"I'm glad to see that you've thought this through, Agent Sheppard," Mary grinned.

"Well, you seem to know more about this type of thing then I do."

_Should I be flattered or enraged?_ Mary was at a loss, Keith's act had fallen apart; he was either telling the truth or taking the game to a whole other level.

Mary persisted with her cold grin; Keith stepped back into the elevator, allowing the door to slide shut.

This was like nothing Mary had anticipated. She was going to be alone, introducing the troops to the plan. Only her and the Air Force team, and Major Pierce... Things just got a whole lot easier.

She took a deep breath, placed a hand on the doorknob. There were easily audible voices coming from inside the room. They seemed to be laughing about something, Mary didn't care, she was just glad that they would be in a good mood. 

* * *

Inside the field headquarters, which was really just a large apartment unit filled with crates and cots, the men and women of the 107th Special Operations Ground Infiltration Unit sat around in several small groups. Sharing stories and idle chatter. Bryan knew that bonding times like this were good for such a young unit. More then half of them had been assigned to his command right before departing for this mission. But all the high-spirited comradery in the world could not calm Bryan's nerves.

They were sitting in the middle of Seattle, an American city, in deep cover-condition: Black. Operations on American soil always made his stomach turn. It was wrong on so many levels. The U.S. government using its military against its own citizens, no matter what they had done, was an affront to everything Bryan loved about his country. And here he was, commanding his unit in just such a situation.

The sound of a door opening behind him cut off his thoughts. All the laughter in the room died as every eye turned to watch the interloper. Bryan turned as well, to see a face he never thought he would have to see again, standing in the doorway.

_Mary Crawford?_ What the hell is she doing here? Last he had heard, she was in federal prison for killing Dr… what's-his-name. 

Mary tentatively scanned all the faces in the room, settling on Bryan for a moment, then she stepped the rest of the way into the room and closed the door behind her. Every person in the room, it seemed, had her fixed in their sights as she darted her eyes from corner to corner, looking for something. But then she turned directly to Bryan, he could see in her eyes that she had something she desperately needed to say. Her body language said she had no idea how. 

She started talking: "hello, my--name is Agent Crawford…" she had all the poise of a shivering Chihuahua, "I am, in charge of the military part of this operation."

Whispers arose from some, one of the younger soldiers raised his hand like a schoolboy, Bryan felt embarrassed for both the solder and himself. "What is 'this operation'?" the young man asked. Several others showed interest in the information as well. 

"Well… it is…" Mary stumbled over her own words as she realized that she had forgotten the special briefing folders that had been prepared. She decided to wing it without them. "It's a travesty, that's what it is!"

The outburst grabbed everyone's attention, especially Mary's. She didn't intend to be so open, so soon. It was an extreme risk, but she was satisfied that there were no bugs in the room, and Keith _had_ foolishly given her authority over the special ops team. The only possible hitch would be if Pierce were not as willing to help Allie as she believed he would be. 

"_Major _Pierce," Mary addressed him directly. "I need your help."

Bryan stared at her for a moment, then: "Why would _I_ help _you_?" 

Mary felt a small amount of relief; she had expected a response very similar to that. "Well, not me exactly, I need you to help me help someone else."

The room was silent, an uneasy silence, the kind Mary hated.

"Who?" Bryan finally demanded.

Mary reminded herself to breath, "I believe you might remember her. Blond hair, blue eyes… about three foot seven when you met her…" 

The description clicked in his head almost instantaneously. 

__

No way! She couldn't possibly be talking about: 

"Allie?" he asked. 

"Bingo!" Mary managed to calm herself back to her normal wittiness, "They don't let dumb ones rise to Major in five years do they?"

Again, the room fell utterly silent and still. All eyes were fixed on the exchange between the Major and Mary. 

Bryan absorbed the idea, turned it around and around in his head. Why was he being told this? Why was Mary Crawford the one telling him? And what did Mary mean by 'help'?

"Don't worry, I know its a lot," Mary paced toward the back of the room, "well, coming from me it's a lot. I was shocked at first too."

"I assume the little girl is back?" Bryan turned to look Mary in the eye, "but why are you here? Why are we here?" he was almost afraid of the answer.

"I think you already have an idea why we're here."

"I might."

Mary waited, signaling him to continue.

"You're running the project again," Bryan said in his most practiced official tone, "You need us to catch Allie for you."

"You're half right." Mary paced back, stopping right in front of him. This was the moment of truth. If she was wrong about Pierce, Allie was dead… or worse, captured for Keith to do god knows what to, and there would be nothing she could do about it. If she even lived through the rest of the day. "Agent Sheppard and I are running _a_ project. But we have very different agendas."

Bryan lifted an eyebrow. _Excellent!_ Mary thought, _he's on my side._

"_He_ wishes to capture the girl," Mary continued, "I want to keep that from happening."

"And I should believe that because…?" Bryan ventured. 

"Allie trusts me," Mary stated flatly, and watched a flood of confusion flash over his face. "Will you help me?"

"Do you mean, will I disobey orders, putting myself in a wonderful position to be court-martialed and lose my position?"

Mary said nothing.

"All based on the words of a woman I wouldn't trust to clean my toilet?" Bryan finished.

"Yes." Mary said, "you, technically will not be disobeying orders though. That shit-for-brains, Keith, gave me control over this part of the operation. You will be following my orders while I 'follow' his orders."

Bryan silently stared Mary in the eye for a while, then a sly grin started creeping across his face as he came to a decision.

"Should I take that as a yes?" Mary asked.

"Take it as a 'we'll see'."

Mary straightened up, walked back toward the door. "I hope you can make up your mind before 20:15."

"What happens then?" Bryan asked.

"I take you to meet with Allie."

With that, Mary let the door close behind her as she made her way back to the elevator. That had been much easier then she had dreamed. Everything was working perfectly into her hands, and Keith was totally clueless about all of it.

* * *

The cold morning air buffeted the tails of Keith's coat as his eyes scanned out over the city. The roof of the apartment building was a place where he felt reasonably secure. Any attempt to eaves drop would be easily thwarted by the wind and the noises of the busy city below. And he could always keep an eye on the only stairwell up; ensuring that no one could get close enough to hear anyway. There had been many secret cell phone calls back to D.C. from this spot, this morning would be no exception.

Pulling his phone out of an inner pocket, Keith proceeded to dial the familiar number belonging to the office of Mr. T.J. Richards. Keith stored All important numbers in his brain instead of the speed dial, security before convenience.

"H-hello?" Richards answered. His rough voice filled with as much energy as a snail on _Prozac_. The time difference had slipped Keith's mind momentarily; it was only 4:30 in D.C.

"Were you sleeping, Mister Richards?" Keith tried to sound concerned, a mimic he was not very good at. "I am so sorry I woke you."

"No, sir. It's my fault…" 

Keith rolled his eyes. It was nice being the top dog, but he hated all the suck up desk jockey underlings, always treating him like a god. It was fun… but it got old fast.

"Shut up Richards." Keith said, "I have a progress report for you to give to the director."

Richards cleared his throat; it sounded more like an old cat trying to cough up a hairball, over the phone, "ready, sir."

"The operation is progressing as predicted," Keith started the daily dictation with a sigh, "Crawford continues her actions, she believes me ignorant of her plan. The Air Force units commander has already sided with her as predicted also, they are speaking with each other at the time of this report… there has been an interesting new development with the target. She has made new friends. I will investigate them further and pass judgment on what, if any, tactical value they hold for my operation. End."

"Understood sir…" Richards trailed, Keith could hear the hesitance in his voice.

"What is it?" he asked.

"'Tactical value', what do you mean?" 

Keith had to smile at that one, "bait, my dear friend, bait. Friends are a chink in this girls otherwise bullet proof armor."

"You mean…" Richards old voice wavered. Keith was starting to think that his long time assistant no longer had the stomach for the job.

"Yes, civilian casualties are a small price to pay for what we can learn from the girl, and what that information is worth…" 

"Yes sir…" Richards sighed. The resignation in his voice frightened Keith. The old man has become passive. He's realized that his job gave him knowledge of some very distasteful things, yet gives him no power whatsoever to do anything about it. Making Thomas J. Richards the one person that could pose a serious risk to Keith and his operation, to the whole NSA. 

A person with no hope or confidence in his future has a very low price tag. Keith knew from his own experience. Richards would talk for money, it was no longer a question of if, but a question of when. He would have to be disposed of as soon as possible. 

* * *


	12. chapter 12

Legacy: chapter 12

* * *

The joyous relief of the final dismissal bell echoed throughout the halls of East Seattle High. These moments were the only reprieves Allie had been able to get for the past week. Even though the ringing was only a fleeting glimpse of sanity compared to the other thoughts which weighed heavily on her mind, it was still a chance for her to imagine what freedom must feel like. A chance to forget everything else and concentrate on one goal: getting out of this giant, soul-vacuum of a building as quickly as she possibly could.

The sense of freedom never lasted long though. On most days, the crushing realization would retake the high ground of her consciousness by the time she had finished packing her things. 

_Everything, everyone…_ Allie thought as she watched her classmates exit the room. The weight fell back upon her as heavy as it ever was. _This is all up to me. These poor sheep have no clue how much danger they're in._

The annoyingly persistent suffocating sensation returned. The walls seemed to inch closer and closer. The air was growing thinner and thinner. Allie knew it was only an outward manifestation of her deepest fears and misgivings about her mission. She knew none of it was real, But all the knowledge and logic in the universe could not control her heart's wild pounding or the overload of adrenaline sent through her body by the more primitive parts of her brain. The parts that can not be tamed by any reach of her power.

What was truly terrifying though was not the illusion of contracting walls, it never was.

__

The fate of the entire race… humankind… in my hands?

Allie knew the consequences if she was to fail. Failure held a certain peril, but it was not as truly terrifying as the consequences of success. 

History was never her strong point. But Allie knew enough to pick out the dangerous patterns in societies, both Human and Alien, and the current trend toward aggression and greed, not just in the United States, but all over the globe, meant that the alliance would be accepted quite easily. Not because the leaders of the worlds nations saw the need, but because they were all greedy, power-hungry tyrants in the guise of caring leaders. 

__

The true challenge of any alliance is keeping peace between nations after it has been formed. The old _Zx'al _proverb rang through her head.

__

Am I the only one who sees the problem? No, the High Council must have predicted it long ago. _Then why do they wish to move forward?_

Allie had already come to the conclusion that: she was not instructed on how to carry out her task because she was the only one who could know, with any accuracy, how humans would react to the news. The details were left up to her. So, had they just forgotten all the social repercussions involved in something like this? _Did they leave that up to me too?_

The one thing more frustrating then all that; the stress, the fear, the seemingly total abandonment of all logic in the way this had to be carried out. The only thing more mind numbing to think about, was the fact that she could tell no one.

Just talking about it, getting all the fears and concerns out in the open, would help her drastically. And it might even help come up with a halfway decent way to carry out the mission…

"Miss Keys," the teacher spoke from the front of the room, bringing Allie's reverie to an abrupt end, "are you alright?" he asked.

She looked around, half-dazed. There was no one left, besides herself and Mr. Goss.

"I'm fine…" Allie smiled at the man, finished gathering her things.

"See you tomorrow," Mr. Goss said as Allie left the room, she turned and nodded awkwardly.

Allie made the short walk down the hall to deposit her stack of useless textbooks in her locker. Why take them home if the 'homework' was so easy that she finished it in class? 

_Why should I even be here if I already know everything I need to know? Far more then any of these 'teachers'. _She thought. But just a quickly reminded herself that she was here, not to learn, but to interact with others her age. It was a very fine distinction, but a distinction none the less.

The sound of her locker door closing, the lock sliding into register with a hollow metal click, erased the trivial matters of school and friends from her mind almost as quickly as they had invaded. There were much more important things to worry about. Decisions to be made.

The Meeting with Mary, now only five hours away, took precedence in her mind as she made her way to the front exit of the building. 

Pierce would be there, if they had been correct in assuming that he was still the same caring, gentle soul that Allie had met that night in that abandoned North Dakota Farmhouse, he would be there. 

Allie's memories of those nights seemed so distant. Compared to everything else she'd been through since, they might as well have been ancient history. But something still stirred in her when she remembered it.

Being used as bait… that helmet they put on her to hide the signal, which would have done nothing had she known what she knows now. It was almost amusing, looking back at it. How awkward they're plan had been. Using rockets and artillery, any projectile weapons in existence, to shoot down a _Lixer_ class transport? 

Allie almost laughed out loud thinking about it. It took very powerful ionic burst beam weapons just to compromise the shields, not to mention puncture the pure _Xillica_ hull armor. Even the largest missile on earth would just bounce off the first energy barrier.

But she didn't know all that then. So of course, she had portrayed the ship crashing. It would not have fooled a more educated enemy but it was enough to trick Earth military.

_Enemy…Earth._ The irony of her own thoughts was not lost. She was technically behind enemy lines by just being on the planet. But this enemy was only an enemy because they did not yet understand. _Humans fear and destroy what they do not understand…_

The humid afternoon air rushed over Allie's face as the large glass double doors swung open. She proceeded out into the throng of kids, most waiting for their respective bus or a ride. 

Allie had no ride today, or any day. She preferred to walk with her new friends. Even though Jessica seemed to dislike her for some unknown reason, Seth was a nice guy. And Tyler… there was still something Allie couldn't quite get through her head about him. She continually tried to deny the attraction. But every time she saw his face, looked into those deep, dark green eyes, so thoughtful, compassionate. Or watched him try to tame his unruly black hair, she felt a stirring in her chest, a light headed fluttering that she knew had no explanation other then the one she feared.

_I don't have time for 'love'! _

No matter how many times she repeated it in her head, Allie knew that there was nothing she could do to stop it if it was going to happen. Love is a very mysterious emotion. Beyond the influence of any of her internal controls, far beyond anything the Xe know how to deal with. If she really had feelings for the boy, they were going to manifest sooner or later. Allie just hoped it would be later, much later.

"Allie! Over here," she heard Tyler's voice but didn't see him. Craning her neck over the crowd, she spotted him standing alone off to the side of the front green, near the soccer field. She made her way to him.

"What took so long?" Tyler asked. 

"Oh… sorry, I was talking with Mr. Goss." 

Tyler smiled; Allie felt the tingle starting deep within her, "its okay."

There was a notable absence, Seth and Jessica. Allie didn't see them anywhere close by. Tyler noticed Allie searching.

"They went on ahead." He told her, "we decided to go to the VRA today, you want to come?"

"What's the 'VRA'?" Allie asked. 

"Virtual Reality Arcade," Tyler shrugged, "It's not an imaginative name but they have locations all over the place."

"I've never heard of it."

"Really?" Tyler asked, "what planet have you been on?"

Allie couldn't help but giggle at that. If he only knew the irony. "Well, I did take a short vacation at our summer house on Mars."

Tyler laughed, "yeah, and I had a nice long conversation with the man on the moon just last week!"

They laughed together for a moment. Tyler recovered enough to watch Allie as she continued giggling. S_he's… beautiful; _the thought came without warning. Her bright blue eyes, sparkling with a glint of moisture, her magical smile. She was the most amazing person Tyler had ever met. Funny, smart, sweet, beautiful. She was everything, and Tyler felt it strongly.

He had been attracted to girls before, but always in a clumsy, childish way, focusing only on physical looks. Terms like "hot" and "sexy" came to mind. Allie was different, she had all the physical looks of those childish attractions, but she had so much more. And this, Tyler knew, was what was drawing him to her… 

"Where is this 'VRA'?" Allie asked, a hint of giddiness still on her voice.

"It's about six blocks from here, we normally walk…"

"Walking is fine with me, I just need to call my mom." 

"Here," Tyler pulled a tiny flip phone out of his pocket, handed it to Allie.

"Thanks…" she dialed; the voice of reason in the back of her head screaming 'no!' the whole time. Allie knew what she was supposed to do that afternoon, but it was already far out of her control. The primitive instinctual parts of her mind had taken the wheel. 

Ka'len could handle her mothers lesson for the day anyway, Allie just had to be at the meeting place by 8:15 to talk with Mary and Pierce. There was more then enough time to get to know her new friends better, especially Tyler. 

Lisa answered: "hello?" 

"Hi mom," 

"Oh, hey Allie. What…"

"Sorry, I need to ask if it's okay if I go somewhere with Tyl… my friends?"

Lisa hesitated, "sure, honey. I guess…"

"Tell _Kaytlen_ to… take over for me."

"Okay…"

"Love you."

"Bye…" Lisa's voice cut off as Allie clicked the phone closed. She smiled at Tyler as she handed it back to him, "lead the way…" 

__

* * *

Lisa walked back into the living room carrying two glasses of water and thinking about what Allie had just said. Lisa was nervous, and Ka'len's probing stare didn't help. The powers were scary enough without being alone in that projected dream world without Allie. 

Sensing Lisa's anxiousness, Ka'len spoke: "do you not believe me an adequate instructor?"

"What? Oh, no. I mean, yes… " Lisa frowned; Ka'len, it seemed, had grown quite fond of confusing her with awkwardly phrased questions. Even though Lisa had yet to see even the slightest hint of a smile on the girl's lips. Were _they_ even capable of smiling? 

"You have a question." Ka'len stated flatly. Sometimes Lisa wondered if Allie was lying to her and they really could read minds.

"Sort of…" Lisa said, no use passing up the chance, "do you, your… people, do you ever laugh?"

Ka'len tilted her head, "laugh as your… people, laugh?" 

Lisa heard the insinuation in her voice and was not sure if the girl was making a joke or if she was offended. Ka'len took Lisa's silence as a cue to continue.

"We had humor in ancient times. Allie brought the concept back to us, but it is hard to grasp as you do."

"Oh…"

Ka'len leaned forward, a movement that sent a shiver up Lisa's spine. Looking at this girl; her shoulder length brunet hair, almost powder blue eyes set in a smooth oval face which was set atop a perfectly proportioned body; brought a distinct fear to Lisa. Ka'len's physical appearance was the perfect disguise, perfectly average. Lisa shuddered knowing what was hiding behind it, and the thought that every one of _them_ could change just like this one.

__

How many more are out there? Walking the streets, going to jobs, coming home to unsuspecting families… Lisa shook her head, _stop imagining crazy stuff, Allie would not lie about something like that. Would she?_

"You have many more questions." Ka'len said. 

Lisa looked up at her, laughed nervously, "yeah, well, I'm not exactly sure where to start," 

"My presence makes you uncomfortable?" 

_You can't tell me she doesn't read minds! _"No, no. I just… try to understand, its, unusual."

"I understand," Ka'len said, "it is… unusual."

Lisa heard something new in her voice; it was subtle, but unmistakable: 

__

Sadness? 

"If you have questions, you may ask." Ka'len said, inviting Lisa to venture.

"Shouldn't we be doing this 'training' thing?"

"To be trained is to gain knowledge. Discovery is the root of knowledge. So, 'training' will continue as long as you discover new things."

Lisa simply nodded; _will I start talking like that? _"Okay… if you really want to…" Lisa let it hang, Ka'len seemed insistent.

"How about this, how old are you?" Lisa asked.

Ka'len wasted no time, "I am approximately eleven of your solar years."

That stopped Lisa in her tracks, _eleven years old? They must mature fast…_

As if reading Lisa's mind for a third time, Ka'len added: "we mature at a rate markedly slower then your species."

"How much slower?" 

"Thirty percent."

Lisa attempted to run the calculation in her head, but she didn't need a number to know that… "your still a kid?"

Ka'len nodded, "yes, I am what you would consider a 'child', my full education is not yet complete."

"But, you're so… smart,"

"Your definition of intelligence does not apply to me… Allie is far 'smarter' then I."

Fascinated by this new revelation, Lisa pressed on to the next question. If Ka'len was a child, then… 

"Do you have parents?"

Ka'len straightened up, her body coming to full attention, but her expression growing more distant. She looked down at the glass of water on the table before her, "I do not."

"Oh, I guess maybe you have a different way to reproduce…"

Ka'len cut her off, "I had a mother and father."

Again, Lisa heard the underlying sadness in the girl's voice. " Maybe not…"

_Oops, _Lisa thought. She stumbled onto a sensitive subject. Not knowing anything about the structure of their society, Lisa was unsure of how to proceed. Were all Xe children separated from their parents for 'education'? Was it some sort of abandonment? Or could they have…

"It was an accident." Ka'len said, "unforeseen complications in an experiment."

"I'm sorry, I…"

"There is no need to apologize. Nothing can change what happened, so no further thought is required."

"But, doesn't it make you sad to remember?"

Ka'len looked confused, "we do not feel 'sadness' for our dead. Nothing can be done…" Lisa interrupted.

"Well, you felt sad when they died, right?"

Ka'len studied her for a moment, "no, there was nothing that could be done…"

Lisa was momentarily speechless. She knew _they_ were different, but losing a parent and not feeling sadness… she felt a new sympathy for girl "How old were you when it happened?"

"Six of your years." Ka'len said.

"And you didn't even feel…" an involuntary tear rolled down Lisa's cheek, "but, you know it's sad! I could hear it in your voice…" 

"I do not understand…"

"The fact that you have some form of family structure shows that you have some form of love." Lisa blurted out her analysis. "The death of someone you love should be mourned, it's unhealthy to keep it in." Lisa was unaware of the flip in roles. Ka'len was hanging on her every word, taking the place of student while Lisa assumed that of teacher.

"I… did 'love' my mother and father." Ka'len said, her voice betraying a slight hesitance. 

"You should…"

Ka'len looked up at Lisa and for a split second, she saw a normal human girl flash through her eyes. Then, a single tear rolled down Ka'len's face. She reached up to dab it off.

"Crying?" her voice almost broke, "fascinating…"

The first tear was shortly followed by another, then another. Lisa patted the couch beside her, "come here sweetie." She said.

_Sweetie… _Lisa felt strange saying it, but… it also felt right.

* * *


	13. chapter 13

A/N: sorry, just a few more little detours before the good stuff starts happening, (don't quote me on the "few", that could mean two or twenty.)

Legacy: chapter 13

* * *

The early morning cloud cover over Washington D.C. slowly dissipated, revealing the promise of a beautiful day in the nations capital. The dank, dark office of Thomas James Richards in the bowels of the National Security Agency's Washington headquarters invited no sign of nature's beauty however. He sat alone behind a small metal and particleboard desk with the rooms' only illumination, a desk lamp, to his right, and a phone stuck in his ear.

On the other end of the line, Keith Sheppard relayed an urgent message for the director over his secure cell link. Mr. Richards dutifully copied the message onto a standard form.

"That is all." Keith said, then promptly hung up, as usual.

Mr. Richards laid the handset of his desk phone back in the cradle and stared at the words he had just written. The level of Keith Sheppard's manic cruelty had grown far greater than that of any man he had ever worked under before. 

He had been privy to a lot of evil, disgusting things in his day, but what Keith was planning was beyond words.

He had to read it again, to make sure he had really just written it.

_Further surveillance of the three secondary targets has shown them to be of great tactical advantage. The primary target will be easily trapped. I wait for instructions regarding the primary target's body. Once the required tissues have been extracted is the body to be discarded with the others, or preserved for future analysis? End. _

He let the paper fall back to the desk and sank back into his chair as the full meaning of the words sank into his mind. He had been around this organization long enough to know exactly what Keith had planned. Mr. Richards let out a trembling sigh. 

The picture of his grandchildren caught his attention, he picked it up.

Brandon, fifteen, Connie, ten, and Cecei, seven, with their mother, his daughter, Rebecca.

Keith's ominous comment ran through his head: _Many… things can happen to_

children. Don't you agree? 

"Yes," Mr. Richard's spoke to himself, his voice a low, almost inaudible rumble,

"Many things…"

He returned the picture to its spot right beneath the lamp and opened the top drawer on his left. There, on top of the various papers lay a small metal hip flask and a .38 revolver. His hand hovered indecisively between the gun and flask for a moment, then he grabbed the flask, unscrewed the cap and took a long drink. 

"Many things…" he mumbled again, took another drink.

Many things were indeed running through Mr. Richard's mind. His whole life was wasted. A brilliant young mathematician, Mr. Richards had joined the NSA as a code breaker in '69 at the age of 24. Shortly after which he stumbled onto a top-secret program. Rather then kill such a brilliant mind, the director at the time had assigned him to the project as a cryptographer. And there he remained, to be the punch toy for every evil bastard in the division up to and including Keith Sheppard. 

Mr. Richards was tired of it.

He was 61 years old, a useless lump of an old man. The prized analytical abilities that had brought him so much joy and success were wasting away. He could feel it. Life was draining from his body with each passing day. He was stagnating in the 'project'. For so many years he has just been an errand boy, not putting any of his talents to good use. And like any fine instrument loses its tuning over time, he too was losing his gift. 

Mr. Richards knew what he had to do. He had known for a long time. It was only recently that it had become a major issue. It was still an uncertainty, however. No probabilities or statistics could tell him how to act; no graph could predict the out come of the decision. But it had to be made. 

This all has to stop somewhere. What better place then here, and now? 

With new determination he picked up Keith's urgent message, studied it briefly for one last time. Then pulled the cigarette lighter from his pocket and lit the paper, dropped in the trash can.

The small flames danced in his eyes as he watched the paper curl up into black ash. There was still time to stop, he could rewrite the message, deliver it to the director like the good little messenger boy. But where would that leave him? Here to rot for the rest of his life?

No! The decision had been made. It was too late. 

He could take his family and move somewhere far away. Somewhere Keith couldn't find them.

Mr. Richards pushed the still smoking trashcan under his desk and pulled a piece of stationary from his top drawer. He started writing:

__

Dear Director Critchwell,

It is with deep regret and sadness that I must submit this letter as official announcement of my resignation, effective immediately.

Signed, Thomas James Richards.

Cryptographer

He then folded the paper neatly, sat it on the desk, and took another long drink from the flask. He was going to need it for what he was about to do.

Mr. Richards took what few personal items he had and stuck them in his pockets and small brief case. There was one cigar in the bottom of one drawer. He bit the end off and lit it. The strict anti-smoking rules had kept him from enjoying long ago, but not today! 

All the remaining papers were unceremoniously dumped from the drawers into a pile under the desk, which he then lit.

Making his way out the door, Mr. Richards turned one last time to see his cramped little office. A place he hated more then anywhere else on earth. He then closed the door and locked it.

"You can't smoke in the building sir." One of the secretaries said as Mr. Richards made his way toward the elevator. He stopped, bent over and blew a long puff of smoke in the woman's face, handed her the folded letter as she choked.

"Give this to the director." He said, then continued toward the elevator with everyone in the room watching him curiously.

The elevator made it to the ground floor just as the fire alarm sounded. Mr. Richards blew past the distracted security guards and out the front door. Then, for the first time in 38 years, Thomas J. Richards laughed.

__

* * *


	14. chapter 14

Legacy: chapter 14

* * *

"It's great, isn't it?" Allie spoke softly from the end of the hall, just high enough for Charlie to hear. He looked up.

"What?" 

Allie made her way past the couch where her mother and Ka'len slept and took a seat at the end of the table where Charlie sat grading papers. 

"Ka'len," she said, raising her voice slightly, "Her change, I'm so happy for her."

"Oh… that." Charlie aimlessly shifted a stack of papers slightly askew before looking back up, "it's nice, I guess."

"She told me that she wanted to understand, to feel things the way I do. Now she's getting the chance."

"When you put it that way…" Charlie thought for a moment, "no, it's still creepy." he smiled.

"Aww, dad. You know it's cute!"

He shrugged, then promptly changed the subject: "why are you up so late?"

"I couldn't sleep," Allie said, her attention drifted to the papers he was working on, "need some help?"

"Yeah! If you want to..." 

Allie smiled, "Sure, it looks like you got a lot to do." she indicated the thick bundle still in his brief case.

Charlie started digging through one of the inner pockets of the case lid, "I let things get a little behind after…" he let the insinuation hang. Allie caught it, nodded. "I thought I could get caught up tonight."

"Maybe."

"Here's the key," Charlie pointed to the top sheet of the stack as he handed it to her. "Just mark anything that's wrong and put the number at the top."

"What's the scale? I could put the final grade…"

"Don't worry about it, I'll… oh yeah, the human calculator thing…"

Allie nodded, Charlie was referring to one of the side effects of her abilities. Extremely quick analysis of anything involving numbers, real or complex, equation or expression, it didn't matter.

"Five points each, one hundred total."

"Okay," Allie picked up a pen and started working on the first paper; Charlie went back to work on his pile. 

The peaceful quiet of Allie's thoughts would not last long though. By the time she had reached the sixth paper the troubling questions about her mission began assailing her again. Compounded by the invading thoughts of Tyler that had been a constant nuisance since that afternoon at the arcade. 

She tried to ignore them, thinking about anything else. Her pen marking on the page brought some distraction. The way the ink flowed from the tip as she formed the checks and X's. The act of checking the answers was relegated to the sensory input/output areas of her brain freeing her higher reasoning centers for such thoughts. A practice she had grown dependant on in school, the ultimate daydream. 

The ink grew boring rather quickly; she next found the sound of the ball tip running along the page entrancing. The closer she brought her face to the page, the more pronounced it got, she could see the tip scraping over the paper fibers creating the sound…

"Allie?" Charlie gently shook her arm. She bolted upright to find Charlie's quizzical expression staring back at her.

"What?"

"Are you okay?" he almost laughed.

Allie blushed, "yeah, I was just…"

Charlie let a small laugh escape, "really getting into it?" 

"I was trying to…" Allie sighed.

Something in her tone didn't sit well with Charlie. "What's wrong?" he asked.

"I just have a lot on my mind,"

Charlie put down his pen, "like what?"

"Dad," she shook her head, "I, can't talk about it… and that's what's bothering me."

"Oh," Charlie sat back and stretched, "can you talk to Ka'len about it?"

"No."

"That is a problem then." he smiled a little, attempting to lighten her mood. Allie didn't notice. She was too busy running the countless scenarios she had come up with for the effects of her mission through her head once more. The important part that was missing in all of them was: the announcement itself. 

_How am I going to tell the world if I can tell no one? It has to be some sort of riddle, or a test…_Allie thought. But the more permutations she ran the more distant the answer drifted out of her reach. She knew it was there! She could feel the answer getting farther and farther away. She just wasn't strong enough to get to it.

_I can't do this… its way too much for me, alone… I wish John were here. He would know exactly what to do. He always knows what to do._

"I guess this 'big thing' that you cant tell us is pretty serious." Charlie said.

Allie nodded absently.

"We could 'talk' about it using other terms." Charlie offered.

Allie sat silently for a few more moments, then: "it's a riddle… and I can't figure it out."

"Well… I'm pretty good at…" Allie shifted her eyes up to meet his, "never mind." he said. Standard parenting tricks were far out classed in this situation, Charlie thought. He should have known better then to try it.

"How do you say something without saying it?" Allie asked.

Charlie stared at her for a moment, shocked by the forthrightness of the question, "I don't know… is that the riddle?" 

"In essence, yes."

Charlie concentrated on it for a minute, "wow, that is a toughie." he said, and then grinned, "sign language?"

A smile spread across Allie's face, then she laughed, "That would be a good answer… but its not the one I need."

__

"Sometimes," Charlie said, "when I need to figure out a hard problem, I imagine that I already did it…"

__

"Remembering theanswer_…_it's an old Zx'al memory trick."

Charlie looked puzzled, Allie clarified: "Zx'al is an ancient Xean religion. Strikingly similar to Buddhism, except there is no deity. It's simply a philosophy." 

"Oh…" 

"You 'remember' the answer to a problem that seems impossible because it removes the element if impossibility if the problem has already been solved." 

_But that wont help me, _Allie thought. She had already thought up an uncountable number of simulated scenarios, but all of them were incomplete. She could see everything, the groups people watching as she demonstrated her abilities, the looks on those peoples faces when they saw one of the larger ships for the first time, the endless swarms of reporters and cameras…

_Wait a minute… _Allie's mind cleared in an instant of inspired thought, _Mary's idea! Television news media! Cameras… it's perfect!_

"Wow!" Allie said, "I can't believe it was that simple… of course!"

"What, did you figure it out? Whatever 'it' is…"

"Yes! Thank you dad…" Allie reached over the table and gave him a tight hug.

"Was it sign language?" Charlie asked, Allie laughed.

"No… even simpler."

"I guess you still can't tell me what it is though…"

"Not yet, but soon," Allie sat back down, "how do you think people would react to learning what you and Mom know?" 

"They would probably freak. Why?"

Allie shrugged, trying to play the question off as idle conversation, "I don't know, just thought of it all the sudden." 

Charlie studied her suspiciously as she picked up her pen again and went back to work on the stack papers. Then he shrugged and started working on his pile again.

_So, I know the 'how', _Allie thought, _now I just need the 'when'._

She couldn't do it too early or the populace would do exactly what her father had just predicted. But if she waited too long, it would still be a shock when the massive diplomatic vessels arrived in orbit. The point in time that Allie now had to calculate was razor thin.

_I_ _don't have to worry too much about it now, there's plenty of time to figure it out._

* * *

Far, far away from the Keys household, a brilliant flash of pure energy tore through the very fabric of space, revealing a lightless expanse of pure, deep black, ringed by the same energy that had formed it. As soon as the portal stabilized, a gigantic vessel emerged, followed by another, and another, until all six ships were back in real space.

John waited for the jump to complete. The longest leg of the trip was over. Systems onboard the ships would now begin calculating the safest and most efficient path through the cloud of debris surrounding the outermost reaches of the "sun's" gravitational influence. It would take some time, five days by the navigation systems calculation, but John could not wait that long.

With a simple act of will, his body dematerialized from the bridge and rematerialized in one of the Sally's launch bays. A Staris class ship has onboard a full complement of _Varin_. He willed himself inside one of the tiny, saucer shaped craft. 

As the speck of a spacecraft emerged from the hulking underbelly of the Sally, John again felt the sense of awe Allie had imparted on him the first time she had seen it. It _was_ incredible, once the facts and familiarity were put aside, that something this large could be a functional machine. It took Allie to show him that. The wonder of discovery in her eyes had taught him more in five and a half cycles then all his 207 cycles combined.

And he would be able to look into those eyes again very soon. The speed of the _Varin _craftwould take him to the planet in approximately 49 hours.

__

Two days Allie… 

* * *

__

The old bastard finally did it… resignation? HA! That son-of-a-bitch did this to screw me! Keith Sheppard paced the room in front of a select group of his best underlings. The only ones he could truly trust to carry out a task just as he would, and without many questions. 

"He thinks he can get away!" Keith stopped in front of one of them, "what do you think Agent Smith? Are you going to let him get away?"

"No sir!"

"Yes… you're the best hit man I've got. Richards will die… very slowly and painfully I hope?"

"I'll try sir."

"No! Don't _Try, _do it!"

"Of course," Agent smith relaxed, "is there any special… personal touch you would like to add?"

Keith's lips tightened into a malicious smile, "yes, actually," he begin pacing the room again. Head tilted back, studying the ceiling, trying to phrase his next statement properly.

"I want you to catch him… and his little family, if you can… but concentrate on Richards. When you catch him, and I know you will, I want you to cut off his testicles and shove them down his throat, then, I want you to crack his spine just below the neck, not to kill, just to paralyze, then you will leave him to bleed to death in…" Keith made a gesture with his hand, "chose someplace remote… its up to you."

"I--I will try…"

"No!"

"I'll do it sir!"

"Good… and if you do catch his family… kill the kids, but bring the mother to me."

"I don't understand, leaving one alive will be dangerous…"

Keith grinned suggestively, "you _will_ understand…"

"Right, sir."

"Now go, take only who you trust and need to get the job done."

Smith looked to the agent on his right, "only Agent Carlson." he announced.

"Bold, only taking one, but foolish…"

"_One_ is all _I _needsir." Agent smith said. Keith heard the venom in his voice, thought: _I have trained this one well…_

"Very well, go!" 

The two men hurriedly turned and ducked out the door. Keith resumed pacing with the two remaining agents looking on silently. 

One of the other men spoke up: "what about the other operation?"

Keith glanced over at him, then reached with the other hand and flipped a switch, bringing a bank of computers along the wall to life. As the machines came online, Keith stood before one of the monitors, labeled "A". On the screen was a 4 quadrant split showing the live video feeds from the hidden cameras that had been installed inside secondary target A's house. One of the views showed Tyler in his room.

Keith stared at the flickering screen, said: "the operation will continue as scheduled. Thirty six hours from now," he tapped on Tyler's projected image, "our little Romeo here will become chum in the water. Luring our little Allie-shark close enough to the boat for us to spear." 

* * *


	15. chapter 15

Legacy: Chapter 15

* * *

"Time is an immovable, unstoppable force which connects to and effects all things" Lisa said, "but it can be manipulated if you understand it's inner workings?"

"Correct!" Allie brought her hands together in a mock clap, "very good memory, but I asked _you_ what time was. Not what I told you it was."

The two sat cross-legged on a rug opposite each other, taking advantage of some free time in the early morning hours to further advance Lisa's training.

"Um, time is…" Lisa groped for words, "very confusing to think about, then? I don't know!"

"That is correct too," Allie nodded, "but not the answer I am looking for."

"I'm sorry honey, I just can't think right…"

"Thinking is an obstacle unto itself!" Allie countered, her voice calm but definite, "Do not think! Just say what you know is true."

Lisa reflected on her daughter's words for a moment, then: "what?"

"Go with your first instinct," Allie told her.

"Oh, I get it…"

"Now," Allie cut her off, "what is time?"

"Time is… relative, and depends on our perception of it." Lisa her, her voice gained confidence as she spoke.

"Very good…" Allie studied her mother for a moment. Lisa had the spark of discovery in her eyes. She was progressing very rapidly, not as quickly as Allie had, but still above average even for a Xean child. 

"I think you are ready." Allie said at last.

"For what?" Lisa asked.

A smile crept onto Allie's lips, "the time test." she said, and With those words, the house faded away into the endless expanse of pure white that Lisa had grown so accustom to over the past few weeks.

Lisa wasted no time looking around at the abundance of nothing that surrounded them. Instead she kept her eyes firmly fixed on Allie, "What is the 'time test'?" she asked.

"A test of your understanding of time."

Lisa let her mouth hang open slightly as the simplicity of the definition sunk in, then: "Well, that was obvious…" 

"Very." Allie said as she turned on her heels. The white dissolved, depositing them on the side of a busy freeway. The wind whipped Lisa's hair as the cars and trucks whizzed past. Allie paid no attention to the breeze. She continued on her course, walking right to the edge of the road.

"What are you doing?" Lisa called after her, then followed. 

Allie looked over at Lisa as she came to a stop beside her, said: "I will demonstrate the test first, then you try." 

Allie stepped off into a clearing in the traffic, walked to the center of the lane and turned. A small truck was speeding toward her, not showing the slightest signs of slowing.

Lisa stopped breathing as she watched the truck move closer. She knew that none of this was 'real' in a physical sense, but everything was still very real as far as the effects upon the body. If Allie screwed up, she would be splattered.

The truck was a split second from impact. 

_She's not going to stop it… she's not going to stop it! _"Allie!" Lisa screamed.

At that moment, the truck slowed to an imperceptible speed. Not stopped, just a drastically reduced speed. Lisa recalled what Allie had told her: _nothing can stop time; we can only slow it to the point right before stopping. Imagine a number line; we can go right down to zero, but never to zero._

"See?" Allie said. She walked to the front of the truck and ran her hand along the hood, "Now its your turn." 

Allie stepped off the road. The truck and everything else resumed its normal time.

__

"But… I…" Lisa backed up several steps.

__

"C'mon, there's a clearing coming!" Allie took hold of one of Lisa's hands, Lisa jerked it back. 

"Not yet!" she folded her arms over her chest, tucked her hands in-between, and continued backing.

Allie watched her for a moment, then spoke: "Your fear controls you…" 

"My fear is damn well founded!" Lisa shouted, the memory of the bee from her first lesson still painfully clear in her mind.

"I understand," Allie said calmly, "in your other lessons the 'screen' has been fully real. In this one, the cars are not completely real, so they cannot harm you."

Lisa eyed her unsteadily.

"I'll show you," Allie said as she reached for a stick on the ground. She hurled the stick toward an oncoming car. When it impacted the cars windshield the surface of the glass seemed to bow in around it. But then the stick was catapulted from the windshield and sent sailing into the opposing lanes of traffic, where it was summarily crushed into splinters by a tanker truck.

Allie frowned, "that almost never happens."

"But it just did!" Lisa almost screamed. For the first time she was actually afraid of her daughters urgings. What had Allie become?

"Just trust me, it has to do with mass." Allie said, "The stick was too light to pass through the car, but if you should fail the car will pass around you. You will only feel a slight pressure." 

"A _slight_ pressure?"

"Yes, it might knock the air out of your lungs, like being punched in the stomach, but nothing more." Allie said.

"I've never been punched in the stomach…"

"Yeah," Allie shrugged, "neither have I, it just sounded right." she stepped toward Lisa.

"I don't think I'm ready for this," Lisa said.

"It's okay," Allie told her, "it's getting close to time for your classes anyway. And I have school…" the freeway vanished into white then the white dissolved back into the living room. "We will try again later."

"Thank you…" Lisa said as she started to get up, Allie waived her off.

"I know that trust is a very difficult thing for you right now." 

Lisa stared at her daughter trying to understand where that statement had come from. Allie continued: 

"I know you think I am different now, that I have changed… because I have. But I'm still your little girl. I would never hurt you."

Lisa looked stunned, "Allie, what made you…"

"I can tell." Allie said flatly.

"I'm sorry honey… I really, really want to believe what you said back there… it's just…" 

"I understand. I would be suspicious too if I were you."

Lisa knelt to her knees in front of Allie, "I'm not suspicious of you, I love you."

"Perhaps the next lesson should cover truth." Allie forced an uneasy smile. "It's okay for you to be truthful with me mom, I can tell when you lie anyway." 

I'm_ telling _her_ about lying? _Allie thought.

Lisa was silent for a minute, "you're right… but I'm not suspicious because I don't trust you, it's that I don't understand what you do… or say, sometimes…" she smiled lightly. "Can you tell that I mean it?"

"Yes," Allie said.

"And when I say I love you, can you tell that I mean that?"

"Yes, mom. I love you too." 

* * *

Mary Crawford kept up a swift pace with the flow of pedestrian traffic in downtown Seattle. She blended in perfectly with the hordes of businessmen and women as they marched along their well-worn paths toward their favorite lunch break eateries or coffeehouses. 

Mary knew she was being watched, followed, and even listened to. That's why 'blending in' was so important, she could not do anything that might betray her knowledge. As long as the charade remained intact, they were safe. The meeting with Allie had been her only slip up so far. Fortunately it had not been a trap.

If it was Keith's purpose for her to bring Allie to him, she could not have done it any better. But nothing had happened. Had the agents been unaware of their plan to meet, or was there an even more complex plan in the works? Keith would have to have the patience of a _Bonsai_ artist if he was waiting for Mary to bring Allie to one specific place. The meeting had to have been a hole in their information network! That was the only explanation that made sense.

As Mary rounded a corner the towering spire of the Space Needle came into view from behind a shroud of buildings. The lofty icon of the Seattle skyline was her destination on this walk. High atop in the observation area, Major Pierce waited for her in yet another diversionary tactic they had devised since the meeting with Allie. 

Misinformation was the name of their game. Presented carefully, mixed within verifiable truths, subterfuge was one of the most powerful weapons available to them at this time. If not the only weapon, given Allie's apparent disinterest in taking any action whatsoever to stop Keith. Allie had seemed uninterested in talking about anything relating to the situation at all. 

This had disturbed Mary. 

Allie had been so preoccupied, changing the subject over and over, mostly to things that would be considered idle chatter. So out of character for Allie! She had been frustratingly to-the-point in all their other conversations so far.

It could have had something to do with getting reacquainted with Bryan. There was an odd chemistry between the two, like old friends reunited after many years apart. That made a little sense, but not enough to explain Allie's behavior fully.

She had said something about coming from an arcade with her friends: Jessica, Seth, and Tyler, Mary recalled.

_Hemm… _Mary smiled as she remembered the airy way Allie had said: "Tyler…" could it be? It was Spring after all, the time for love. That would explain a lot of things very well… 

Mary entered the building, and after a short wait at the elevator, made her way to the observation area in the… saucer shaped structure atop the needle. The significance of the building's shape struck Mary as oddly appropriate. 

Major Pierce spotted Mary first and moved to intercept her from behind.

"Hey." he said as he placed a hand on Mary's shoulder, causing her to jump and spin around.

"Don't do that!" she held her voice low but the intensity still carried through.

Bryan rolled his eyes, "don't be such a kid!" he said, mocking her intensity. 

"Very funny, _Major_."

Bryan grinned, then, wasting no time, started quoting the script they had agreed to use: "were you followed?"

"No, those idiots couldn't follow a snail." Mary added the last part off the top of her head.

Bryan turned and guided Mary with a hand between her shoulders as they began walking around the windowed corridor of the observation level. They leaned close together to appear like a normal couple and keep their voices down. A move, which was, in reality, only intended to complete the act.

"I've searched these premises thoroughly, Keith has no ears in this building." Bryan said, almost laughing. He felt like he was back in grade school putting on one of those ridiculous plays.

"Excellent, we should discuss Allie's plans then." Mary said.

_Wrong script!_ Bryan thought, "are we still leaving as planned?" he winked

"Oh… no, that's changed."

"Good!"

_What is he doing? _Mary thought, said: "my _eyes_ told me that two of Keith's team of agents flew back to D.C. this morning." Mary changed the subject entirely, abandoning the script in favor of actual conversation.

Bryan glanced sideways at her, "I was not informed."

"Of course you weren't"

"Well," Bryan sighed; it looked like the whole 'script' concept was out the window. He decided that he might as well play along and see where Mary was going. "What do you think they're up to?"

"I don't know yet." Mary shifted her gaze past Bryan to the cityscape outside the observation windows as they walked, "it could be good. With less agents, Keith will have less power… or, it could be bad… setting us up for something."

"A diversion?"

"Yeah," Mary nodded, "that would fit his M/O." 

Bryan cast a searching glance over his shoulder. The watchers were here, he could feel them. He was worried that Mary was taking the topic too far. After all, part of the point of misinformation is to make your opponent believe they have the upper hand. What was Mary up to?

"What do you think we should do about it?" Mary asked, catching Bryan off guard.

He shrugged, "I don't know, this whole operation is backwards anyway. I've never even heard of anything like it."

"Your still young, Major" Mary's eyes scanned out over the city once more, "I was only in my fathers project for a few months when Allie happened the first time. But in that time I was involved in countless 'mysterious disappearances' of UFO witnesses and abductees."

Bryan sighed, "all in a days work…"

"No!" Mary stopped, turned to face him, "don't you see?"

"See what?"

"It was wrong… This thing Keith wants to do is wrong! Its all wrong!"

"We're working to stop it…"

"That doesn't matter," Mary's eyes shimmered with extra moisture as she held back unshed tears of remorse, "what we're doing now doesn't fix everything else. I can't go back and give life to all the innocent people that have died because of me!"

"Lower your voice…" Bryan tried to quiet her, to no avail.

"I'm evil, I'll always be evil for the things I've done… its driving me crazy!"

Bryan guided her toward a bench in a shadowed niche, they sat. 

"My mother always told me that I shouldn't worry about things I've done, to save the worrying for things I haven't done." Bryan said. "I guess it's sort of like: 'don't cry over spilt milk'."

Mary held her voice low and steady, "human life does not equate to a glass of milk, Major!"

"Right… but the point is still the same. You can't change it, you can only keep it from happening again."

Mary sucked in a deep breath, "a million wrongs cannot make a right the same as a million rights cannot erase one wrong."

Bryan nodded, "I guess that's true, but people can change… Look at you."

"I haven't changed though." Mary said, "There isn't a time when I think about Keith and I don't imagine emptying a nine millimeter clip into his head!"

Bryan laughed, "so! I imagine the same thing… except with a fifty round MP5 instead of a nine mil."

"So it was a bad example," Mary forced a grin.

"I have eleven confirmed combat kills, Mary." Bryan said, "Not a day goes by that I don't think of each of them… I ask myself: 'what if they had kids?' or 'I wonder what their mother would think of me if we stood before each other?' and a ton of other questions. It gets to me sometimes. I tell myself that it was either them or me, and that I was just following orders. But when it comes right down to it, I killed those 11 men. And there is nothing I can do to change that. Does it make me a bad person? Maybe it does, I don't know. What I do know is that I am good inside, no matter what I do. And it's the remorse for my actions that tells me that."

Mary could only nod her head as he spoke, she would have never expected such a beautiful thought to come from the Major. 

"It is different though," Mary said, "it _was_ either them or you. That's war! I'm responsible for the deaths of innocent people!" _including my father and the only man who could ever love me._

"Is it really that different?" Bryan ventured, "What I was trying to say is that if you feel genuine remorse for what you did… you _can't_ be 'evil'."

__

Mary stared at him for several minutes, then: "Maybe you're right," she stood up, "maybe you're wrong." 

Bryan shrugged.

"It's not important right now anyway," Mary said.

Bryan stood beside her, "We should head back, don't want to make Keith and his boys too suspicious." 

* * *

"Sir, are we not monitoring Agent Crawford any longer?" 

Keith cast a casual glance up from his computer at the man that had just invaded his quiet. The Agents name hovered on the tip of his tongue for a moment then he remembered.

"No, Agent Peterson, we are not." Keith turned his attention back to the computer, he continued talking with his back to Peterson: "_Agent _Crawford and her little army buddies can play spy games if they want. We have more important things to take care of. I can't have any of you out playing tag with them."

"I understand sir…" Peterson trailed, a hint of indecision in his voice.

"There's something else on your mind?" 

"Yes, sir. Actually…"

Keith let out a disgusted groan, "why are you all such spineless little girls?" he spun his chair to face him, "Just say what you want to say!" 

"Well, it's just that… I think it's dangerous."

"What's dangerous?"

Peterson's eyes shifted around the room nervously, "not knowing what Crawford is doing, how much she knows."

"You think she poses a threat to me?"

"N--no sir, I just…"

"I'll tell you why we're not watching them." Keith stood up and walked to a file cabinet on the other side of the room. "The gear that the Special Forces team shipped in. Have you wondered, Agent Peterson, why it took so long to get here?" Keith asked as he pulled one of the drawers open, sliding it out till the runners stopped it.

"It was delayed at the airport, sir."

"A likely story, but nothing more…" Keith lifted up on the drawer and pulled it off the tracks, laid it aside. "Our guys back east got a hold of it first." Keith motioned with his hand, inviting Peterson to look in the cavity left by the drawer's removal. In the wall behind the cabinet, a hole had been cut out. Inside the hole was what appeared to be a small computer of some unknown manufacture with an equally small digital recorder hooked to it. Peterson glanced up at Keith questioningly.

"Every piece of clothing and equipment those army buffoons brought with them have microscopic transmitters and telemetry devices hidden in them." Keith said. "We may be blind, but we are not deaf."

Peterson nodded, "so, we know what they're saying?"

"Yes!" Keith bent down and pulled the little contraption out of the wall, flipped up the screen on the tiny computer. "Listen," he said, pushed a key on the keyboard.

A small speaker squeaked to life with a man's voice: "we should head back, don't want to make Keith and his boys too suspicious,"

A smile formed on Keith's lips, "don't worry, I'm totally clueless my friend."

Keith closed the screen down and replaced the computer in the wall, reinstalled the drawer and slid it closed.

"That thing records it all?" Peterson asked.

"48 hours worth on a digital hard disk." Keith told him.

Peterson stood up straight like a solder coming to attention. "I understand sir, everything was under control. I should not have wasted your time."

"That's right, you shouldn't have." Keith locked eyes with Agent Peterson; he could almost smell the fear. Keith had to turn away to keep from laughing. "See that it doesn't happen again." he made a dismissive gesture with his hand

As Peterson beat a hasty retreat from the room, Keith stared at his computer screen on the other side of the room. On it was displayed a floor plan of the old warehouse he had picked for the operation to take place. As he stared, his mental image of the inside of the building and the computerized floor plan began to blend in his mind. All the hide spots, the maze like structure at the north end… the surrounding neighborhood, abandoned and run down. Keith formulated a new play of attack. 

_I might just be able to take you alive, my darling, Allie. That would be very, very interesting…_

* * *


	16. chapter 16

A/N: sorry I took so long on this chapter… I promise it will never happen again! Lol

Legacy: chapter 16

* * *

A white van slowly came to a stop in the ground level garage of the NSA field headquarters. Keith Sheppard waited impatiently, the thrill of the hunt culminating within him, yet his features betrayed none of his anxiety. 

_This is it, _he thought, _Allie will be mine in no time._

As the driver killed the engine, the back doors of the van swung open. Two men wearing all black, including black ski masks, emerged and took up their positions beside each door. Keith started walking toward the van. Each footfall echoing confidence and his cold sense of calculation. 

"C was no problem, sir," one of the masked men said as Keith came around the door.

"Good." Keith peered inside at the young girl, drugged and laying in a heap in the back of the van. "The kids family?" 

"We tore them up bad, sir. Just like you said." the man on the opposite side removed his mask. "Made it look like a forced entry kidnapping."

"Good." Keith reached up for a grip and hauled himself into the van, the two men followed.

"The fibers?" Keith asked.

"Yes sir," the unmasked man reached into a Velcro-flapped pocket and produced an empty plastic bag, handed it to Keith.

"The police will be looking for a deranged pedophile," Keith looked down at the girl, "those fibers should put them on a very cold trail." he bent down close and brushed the hair out of the girls face.

"Jessica Balderas…" Keith mouthed the girl's name

"It's a shame, sir." the masked man spoke again.

"What would that be?" Keith cast a questioning glance at him.

"Well, that we have to kill her after this is all over."

Keith glanced back down at Jessica, sleeping so peacefully, like an angel, "yes, it is." then he raised his head, a wild gleam in his eyes, "but no one ever cries for the cheese in the mouse trap now do they?"

"N--no sir."

The radio on Keith's belt started squawking, he stood and walked to the back of the van, pulled the radio off as he jumped out and brought it up to his face. "Sheppard…"

The voice came back under static but it was still clear, "this is B team leader, B is in the van."

"Excellent! Hurry…" Keith jammed the radio back into its holder on his belt and turned toward the other men, "get her to the location, I'll meet you there."

The two men quickly obeyed, jumping back inside and pulling the doors closed as the engine roared back to life and the van sped out of the garage.

Keith stared out the open garage for a moment as the sound of the speeding van faded. "Two down, one to go." he mumbled, then turned toward a silver car parked on the far side. _Tyler is as good as caught; so I guess that should be three down, one very valuable hybrid to go._

* * *

A stiff, cool breeze blew down the street and along the sidewalk giving Allie a chill as it passed. She folded her arms in front of her in a futile attempt to stay warm. Tyler glanced over.

"Are you cold?" he asked.

Allie concentrated on him for a moment until his words sank in, then: "oh, no… just a little."

"Yeah, strange weather."

The glimpses of blue behind the gray clouds drew Allie's attention skyward for a moment, "I don't remember it getting this cold this time of year." she said, then looked back to Tyler who grinned:

"You lived in Canada for five years, this should be warm to you."

Allie's cheeks turned a light shade of red, from embarrassment or the cold wind, Tyler could not tell. Although he knew no reason why she should be embarrassed by anything he said.

"Yeah…" Allie sighed, shifting her gaze to the sidewalk.

_I just need to ask her,_ Tyler thought, _the worst thing she could do is say no… _

Tyler opened his mouth to speak but no words came out. Instead, he found himself studying the concrete just as intently as Allie.

_Why is it so hard to talk to her?_ Tyler wondered. There was something special about this girl, no doubt, but it had Tyler stumped over his own emotions. He was drawn to her every nuance. Truly, the worst thing she could do is say no. But Tyler realized that he was afraid to ask because he didn't want her to say no.

Allie glanced up suddenly, "are you guys doing anything later on?"

Her words caught Tyler in mid-thought, he took a breath, "I don't think so…"

"Oh…" Allie sighed again, "I was just wondering, cause I have nothing to do this weekend…"

Tyler could not believe what he was hearing. There was no asking for a better set up then this, "we… could always go somewhere." he said without thinking any further.

Allie seemed to pause and study him for a moment, then her lips drew into a shallow smile, "tell Jessica and Seth to meet us?"

"No… I mean, they don't have to come… unless you want them to."

"Oh," Allie's eyes found the sidewalk again.

_Great, real smooth Ty…_

Allie looked back up after several moments of deliberation with a playful glint in her eyes, "sounds fun, have any place in mind?" 

Tyler let out a silent sigh of relief, but it was short lived. He had no idea where to go. They had already been to most of the cool places with Jesse and Seth; this had to be something new.

"No, not at the moment…" he said with an air of resignation in his voice.

"Don't worry about it, it's no big deal… unless…"

"Oh, no…" Tyler stumbled over his words, "it's not a 'date'… unless…"

Allie's smile was a mile wide, she said, "You can call it that if you want to."

"Really?" Tyler asked breathlessly.

Allie shook her head side to side, "I don't mind."

"So, it's a date then?"

Allie laughed, "yeah, why not?"

_Why not? _She thought, _it's going to happen anyway. I have plenty of time to go on my first date… wow, my first date!_

"Cool…" Tyler was excited but he tried to act calm, he cast a quick look toward his house just a little ways down the street. "I should go, my mom will be home soon."

"I should go too."

"I'll talk to you later," Tyler said, "with the details…"

Allie watched Tyler jog across the street and the short distance to his house. Then she turned and started off toward her house.

_My first date…_ she thought, _and I have no idea what to do. _The time since her arrival back on earth had only served to prove to her that she missed some of the most important socially formative years of her life. She was just picking these things up from what little she knew before and the way others talked and acted. But a date? Surely there was some special protocol. It couldn't be as simple as 'going out' to some place.

Allie knew now that it was time to have that delayed Q and A session with her mother. She needed to learn what she missed and she needed it fast.

A horrendous metal tearing crash in the distance behind her stopped Allie cold.

She spun back toward Tyler's house to see a white van slide out of the driveway with its tires squealing and pieces of twisted metal garage door falling off of it.

All at once a horrible sense of foreboding rushed over her. Allie had seen those vans before. Instincts took over, Allie ran back toward the scene before she even confirmed that it was Tyler's house. The people that had already come out of their houses to gawk at the source of the noise were the only thing keeping Allie from using her abilities to get there faster.

She stopped when she reached Tyler's driveway. Pieces of the garage door both large and small littered the ground, a conformation she didn't need. Allie made her way past the debris up to the front porch, knocked on the door…

It was hanging open, and opened further when she knocked. Allie placed one foot tentatively on the hardwood floor inside and called out: "hello?" No answer.

She pushed the door the rest of the way to reveal a disorganized mess of broken furniture and strewn papers. Her heart sank and her whole body felt numb. The clear signs of a struggle were everywhere. It was becoming clear what was happening. 

The white van… it could be a coincidence but Allie was already convinced that she knew who was responsible for this, and why.

A slight noise from the hall snapped Allie to attention. She took a shaky breath to try to calm her pounding heart, and the boiling heat of anger building within her.

"Hello?" she called again as she moved closer. The noise came again, like the scurrying of feet on the wood floor. "Is someone here? I wont hurt you." _unless your Keith Sheppard._

A small hand, followed by a head of curly black hair peaked around the wall, Allie recognized the boy immediately.

"Jamie!" Allie took a step toward the boy, causing him to jump back, "no, it's okay, I'm not going to hurt you."

The boy's eyes glazed over and he ran toward Allie, almost knocking her over as he wrapped his arms around her waist. He started crying.

"What happened here?" Allie asked, more for the boy's sake then for her own knowledge, it was painfully obvious what had happened.

"They took him…" Jamie said.

"Who took him?" Allie asked.

Jamie backed away, "there were three men in black… they came in here…"

"You hid from them?"

"Yes…" Jamie said. His whole body was visibly shaking; Allie drew him back close to her.

"Did you hear anything they said?" she asked.

"One of them--talked to someone named Sheppard--on his phone thing." the boy managed in between sobs.

_That's all I needed to hear,_ Allie thought. The heat of the anger was starting to show on her face. Allie stood up stiffly and took firm hold of Jamie's hand.

"Do you want to come with me?" she looked down at Jamie, he nodded before even thinking.

"Where?" he asked.

"I know where your brother is." 

Jamie nodded absently.

"I need you to stay calm, what's about to happen might seem scary."

"What's about to happen…" Jamie cut it off as a warm presence started flowing around them both; several seconds later a brilliant flash of pure white energy enveloped them.

* * *


	17. chapter 17

A/N:… I thought I had something to say, guess not now that I think about it.

Legacy: chapter 17

* * *

"I think they knew our every move," Mary announced from her thinking position in front of her favorite bay window on the third floor, "I think they used our attempts at keeping tabs on them against us."

Bryan and another soldier glanced up from the city map they were studying. Mary paced back and forth before the window, her head held low in a state of deep thought. With a shrug, Bryan returned his attention to the map.

"This has to be bad. Why would they just tear out of here like that?" Mary stopped and stared at the two men. Several moments passed before the silence drew Bryan's attention. 

He looked up to Mary with a lost expression on his face and shrugged, "I think your right, but we can't know until we find them."

"How could a 'special forces' team fail to keep tabs on some lowly government agents?"

"We're doing the best we can here _Ms. Crawford_"

"Its not good enough!" Mary blurted out. "I wish we could talk to Allie, she would know what to do."

"She's just a kid," Bryan said, "a very special kid, but I think she's just as lost as we are."

"I… I trust her judgment…" Mary turned back toward the window but kept her eyes on Bryan's reflection in the glass.

Bryan studied Mary from her silhouette. Trusting someone's judgment is one thing; Mary's tone conveyed a much deeper meaning then her words. Bryan spoke: "you care about her, don't you?"

Mary was silent for a long time before turning back to the two men. "I'm worried about her." she said, "I'm worried that we came this far and now it's all falling apart. I'm failing."

"No, this is just a minor setback…"

"Stop being so optimistic!" Mary yelled, "I misjudged Keith, I thought he was to stupid to get anything past me. I was wrong. He played me, even while I knew he was doing it he played me!" 

"You act like something's already happened…"

Mary moved toward the table with such speed that it made both Bryan and the other man flinch. She slammed her hands on the edge and bent in to eye level with them, "how do we know? You can't even keep track of them!"

"This is all new to us, Mary… we're learning as we go." Bryan said.

"Oh yeah. I forgot… Keith brought in an inferior team." Mary stood and paced around the table. "Your men are just out of basic, the perfect stooges for Keith to play as an accompaniment to me."

Bryan had had enough. He bolted up, sending the chair to the ground behind him. "Listen here, _Ms. Crawford_! You can say what ever you want about me, but leave my men out of this. We are the best of the best. The Air Force does not let naïve children into its black ops corps!"

Mary took a step back in her mind. This bickering wasn't going to solve anything. The only way they were going to find out what was going on was to get out there and find Keith and his cronies. She took a calming breath, exhaled. "You're right, I'm sorry." Without another word, Mary turned and took her coat from its position draped over one of the chairs.

"Where are you going?" Bryan demanded

Mary swept the long coat over her back and slid her arm in the opposite sleeve, "to Allie, she will know what to do."

"Is that a good idea?" Bryan asked.

"Not really… do you have anything better?"

Bryan concentrated for a moment but came up dry, said: "I'll go with you, in case something is happening."

* * *

Several minutes later as the black car containing Mary, Bryan and their soldier companion exited the ground level garage; a brilliant flash punctuated the dark, dreary interior of the third floor room. Allie looked around, disappointed to find it was empty. Jamie stood, awestruck and dazed with his hand clamped so tightly to Allie's that she had to use the other to pry him off.

"That's odd…" Allie spoke aloud as she moved off to inspect the room, leaving Jamie in his position. "I… they should be here."

"Wha…" Jamie's eyes began narrowing from their dilated position. His searching stare found Allie. "What…"

"Are you okay?" she asked, took a step toward him. Jamie stepped back to keep the distance even.

"What are you?" the boy asked, his voice wavering between fascination and terror.

_What…_ Allie thought, _I guess that's a fare assessment. 'What am I?' Opposed to: 'who am I?'_

"What I am is very complicated," Allie took another step toward him; Jamie again matched her by taking a step back. Fear filled his eyes. "I wont hurt you…" Allie said calmingly.

"You're some kind of mutant freak! Aren't you?" Jamie continued backing away.

"No… no… I'm not…" 

__

"Go away! Don't hurt me!" Jamie ran toward an open door. Allie reached out with her mind and shut the door before he could reach it. 

"No!" Jamie screamed in a confused mix of pure fear and anger, "please don't kill me…" he turned pleading eyes toward Allie as he backed along the wall toward a corner.

"Calm down…" Allie said taking a miniscule step toward him. Jamie backed into the corner and crouched low. "I don't want to hurt you, Jamie."

"Stay away…"

Allie took another tiny step in his direction, "just listen, okay?"

Jamie eyed her suspiciously for a moment, then nodded. Allie took his fear as a signal, she stopped where she stood and sat on the floor facing him.

"I don't know how to explain this…" Allie started, "especially to you," she paused and took a breath. Jamie showed no signs of relaxing and Allie had a feeling that this was going to take way too long to explain. Tyler was with those men and they needed to find him fast. Without Mary, Jamie was Tyler's only hope.

"I… am not totally like you," Allie said, "well, most of me is human, just my brain is more advanced…" 

"You're going to hurt me…" 

"No I'm not, I don't want to hurt anybody. Neither do my friends."

That had the effect Allie wanted. Mentioning "friends" sparked curiosity in the terrified boy, he studied her cautiously before speaking: "who are your friends?"

"They are a race of beings that live in a galaxy far, far away from here." Allie paused. Leave it to the inquisitive mind of a ten year old to introduce curiosity in place of fear. 

"A--aliens?" he ventured. Allie nodded.

"Are you… one of them?"

Allie shrugged, "yes and no… my body is just like yours but my mind is more like there's. That's how I brought us here." 

Jamie sat up straight now, eyes intently focused on Allie, "You can move things?" he asked.

"Yes, and much more…" Allie extended a hand toward him, "I can show you, if you want…"

Jamie stared at her hand but didn't move, Allie withdrew it, "I guess not…"

"Have… you been in space?"

Allie nodded, "I told your brother I lived in Canada for 5 years… I was a bit farther North then that," she said pointing upward. 

Jamie looked down at the dirty wood floor, "my brother…" he said, then back up to Allie, "you said you were going to help him…"

"I am," Allie said.

"Then why are we here?" Jamie asked.

Allie stood up, causing Jamie to involuntarily flinch and press his back further into the corner. He relaxed presently.

"Some of my friends were supposed to be here." Allie said.

"More aliens?" Jamie asked.

"No, they're human…" Allie walked to a table near the center of the room with a large city map spread out covering the whole surface. She ran her hand along a line marked in red that seemed to be pointing to Jessica's house, and another that was pointing to Seth's house… and a last one was drawn right up her own street, to Tyler's house. Allie now had a full understanding of what was happening.

_It's_ _not just Tyler, it's everyone. They're using my friends to get to me…_

Allie spun back toward Jamie, causing the boy to jump. "This is bad."

"What?" Jamie stood up but made no move toward or away from Allie, he was still unsure what to think of her.

"Everyone is in danger… because of me…" Allie looked away from him and back to the map. It was all there in red. This was the map Bryan used to track the Agent's movements. But why did all the tracking lines run out? And where were Mary and Bryan? Once more, the familiar sensation of far to many questions and no answers came over Allie. This time, however, Allie knew the answer: she had to fix this alone.

"Jamie, I need you to help me… can you do that?" Allie took several steps toward the boy. This time Jamie watched her cautiously but did not retreat.

"What can I do?"

"You're Tyler's brother, you can help me find him."

"How?" 

Allie grabbed a chair and spun it around toward Jamie, took one for herself. "I'll show you."

* * *

"We had to come this way!" Mary threw her hands up in frustration at the roadblock in front of them. They were only three blocks from Allie's house and there was a police barricade stopping traffic around a crime scene.

Mary swung her door open, "I'm going to go see what the hold up is." 

"Can you just be patient? We can get through in a minute." Bryan tried to stop her but she had already walked away from the car. Bryan pulled out of the lane of waiting cars and parked along the side of the road.

"She is such a bitch…" Bryan got out of the car and gave chase.

Mary made it to the police tape and was about to step under when an officer stopped her.

"I'm sorry ma'am, crime scene investigation. You can't come in here."

"Can you tell me what happened here officer…" Mary focused on the mans badge, "Sergeant Brady?"

"I'm sorry, you're going to have to leave."

Mary smiled nicely at the man and pulled out her NSA I.D. "federal agent, now tell me what happened here." 

"I'm sorry agent… Crawford, but this is a police investigation, no one called in the NSA… the NSA doesn't even investigate crimes."

"We do when national security is at stake." Mary tucked the badge away, "now tell me what happened here before I have you arrested for obstruction…"

The officer eyed Mary suspiciously for a moment, "Yes ma'am…" he sighed and raised the tape for Mary to pass under.

"Mary!" Bryan ran up behind them, the officer motioned for him to stop but Mary waved him off.

"Officer Brady, this is Major Bryan Pierce with the United States Air Force, he's with me."

The officer hesitated slightly then raised the tape for Bryan. But the .45 side arm Bryan was carrying caught the officer's attention; he stopped Bryan by the arm as he passed.

"The gun, sir. You can't carry that here."

Bryan leveled a stern glare at the man, "you let me decide where to carry my weapon, _sergeant…_"

Brady swallowed hard, "yes sir," he turned and motioned for them to follow. 

"What happened here?" Mary repeated herself for the third time, she was beginning to get upset.

"Looks like a kidnapping, strangest one I've ever seen though."

Mary looked ahead at the scattered remains of a metal garage door. "It does look unusual."

"Can you tell me what interest the National Security Agency has in a kidnapping?" Brady glanced back over his shoulder as he spoke.

Mary looked to Bryan before answering, "that's classified." 

Brady nodded and turned toward a woman standing next to a photographer. "Detective?" he addressed her.

"Yes?" she turned and studied the two interlopers on her crime scene, "what's this?" she asked, turning to Brady.

Mary extended her hand, "Agent Mary Crawford, NSA. This is Major Bryan Pierce with the Air Force."

The woman took Mary's hand lightly. "Detective Robbins… may I ask what the NSA and the Air Force are doing in my crime scene?" 

"I'm afraid that's classified, detective." Mary looked inside the open door of the house at the activity inside, "can you tell me exactly what happened here?"

"Well, it looks like a highly organized kidnapping. There was a large vehicle parked in the garage and the perps apparently waited for the kid to get home." Robbins pointed to the door wreckage, "As you can see, they didn't bother opening the door."

"Yeah…" Mary thought for a minute, "what was the kids name?" she asked.

Detective Robbins opened her clipboard and pulled out a picture, "Tyler Rivera, fourteen year old boy."

_Tyler…_the name immediately took on some form of significance to Mary, but she wasn't sure why.

"Any idea why he was taken?" Mary asked.

"No clue, not yet at least."

Bryan pulled Mary aside; the detective turned back to the photographer.

"What are we doing here Mary?" he asked.

"We were killing time… but now I think this might be important." Mary said. The sound of an unusual voice caught Mary's attention, she turned to see an old woman talking to an officer, she was probably a witness.

Detective Robbins walked up, "this wouldn't have anything to do with the other two, would it?"

"What?" Mary asked.

"The other two kidnappings, is that why the NSA and the Air Force are involved?"

"There are others?" Bryan asked.

"Yes, two more just like this, happened within an hour of each other."

Mary wasn't listening to the detective any longer; her full attention was fixed on the woman speaking with the officer. "I'm sorry," Mary turned back to Detective Robbins, "we can't give out that information at this time… excuse me." Mary said dismissively and started moving toward the old woman. 

"There was a girl…" the old woman was now close enough for Mary to hear, "she ran into the house right after it happened…" 

Mary interrupted. "Wait… sorry… can you say that again?"

The old gray haired woman focused on Mary for a moment before starting again. "I said that I came out to see what all the racket was about and I saw a white van go speeding off that way." the woman raised a bony finger to point down the street in the direction Mary and Bryan had just come from. "I saw it leave this big mess, "the old woman continued, "but then this girl came running from down there," she pointed in the direction of Allie's house, "she ran right up and went in there."

Mary nodded, "Can you describe this girl?"

"My eyes aren't what they used to be, but I know she had blond hair. That's about all I could tell."

"Thank you ma'am." Mary turned and started to leave when the old woman stopped her. 

"Wait, that's not all I saw. Once that girl went in the house I waited for a while. Then a bright flash came from inside somewhere. It was the most strange thing I ever saw." 

"Thank you ma'am, you have been _so_ incredibly helpful." Mary again tried to leave but the woman was not done.

"You know, the police say there is no one in that house… I didn't take my eyes off it for one minute and that girl never came out of there… what do you think happened?"

"I'm sure these fine officers will find out in no time and tell you." Mary turned and moved away from the talkative woman, grabbing Bryan by the arm as she passed.

"Allie was here, this is the Tyler she was talking about…"

"How do you know?" Bryan asked.

"I know," Mary said flatly. She glanced down the street at the Key's house. "Allie told me not to call unless it was an emergency…" Mary started digging in her coat for her cell phone, which was no where to be found, "damn, I must have left it."

"I don't have one on me" Bryan shrugged.

Mary looked around until she spotted the detective, "Go get Robbins to loan you a squad car. I'm going back to HQ."

"Me? Why?"

"Incase Allie went there… I need you to get to her parents and make sure they're safe. Now go!" 

* * *


	18. chapter 18

Legacy: chapter 18

* * *

The United Airlines terminal lobby at Dulles International Airport was surprisingly quiet for this hour of the evening. Thomas Richards and his small group of family were almost alone in the huge room. The only souls near-by were the ticket desk clerks and several other passengers waiting to catch the same flight to Buenos Aries that Thomas had booked earlier that day. The silence affected everyone, even the children. Connie and Cecei focused deep concentration on the pages of a coloring book while Brandon was content to sleep. Rebecca, on the other hand was wide awake, and displaying all the signs of a nervous first time air traveler. Thomas reached over and placed his hand around hers.

"There's really nothing to it," he said. "It gets a little bumpy during take off and landing but its smooth in between."

She glanced up and smiled lightly, "I know, I just keep thinking of things that could go wrong."

"I did that my first time too." 

"I know it will be okay as long as your there, dad."

Thomas leaned back in the impossibly uncomfortable lobby chair while Rebecca looked over and watched the girls drawing. No matter how hard Thomas tried to force his former life away, there was always some buried memory popping out of the recesses of his mind to remind him. 

All the horrible knowledge! The killings, the setups, the conspiracies… Thomas had been right in the middle of it for far too long. He feared that his escape might have come too late to save him. Not from a premature death at the hands of Keith or his bumbling colleges, but from the poisoning of his very soul. You can only spend so much time around pure evil before you are forever changed by that evil.

Even the idea to flee to Argentina was a cold reminder of the evil induced change. As Thomas tried to run from his past, he was walking in the footsteps of a former boss who had fled Buenos Aries some years earlier to avoid prosecution for his deeds. 

Even the nameless, faceless men in charge of the U.S. government's darkest agency were vulnerable to the strong arms of justice. A fact that brought Thomas some comfort, and an idea so devious and underhanded that he felt shame for having thought of it. Of course, it would be the right thing to do, as long as Keith Sheppard was not the judge of right and wrong in the case.

Thomas chuckled lightly to himself, Rebecca looked over.

"Something funny?" she asked.

Thomas turned toward her with a sly grin showing on his wrinkled features, "no, just thought of something from work…" he glanced toward a bank of pay phones near the center of the lobby. "I need to make a phone call, I'll only be a minute." 

* * *

"Just relax." Allie sat opposite Jamie in a hard backed wooden chair with her eyes closed. They were holding hands, "picture him as you last remember him."

"I'm trying…" Jamie kept his eyes shut tightly. He could feel a definite flow of something not normal between himself and Allie. His instincts told him to be afraid but there was a power in that unusual, warm, flowing sensation that calmed him.

"You're not relaxing, I can feel your muscles tense." Allie spoke monotonously. She was trying to subtly prod the boy's subconscious mind. To what end? Allie had no idea. But there was little else she could do at the moment. This entire experiment was based on a very shaky theory, Allie decided not to tell Jamie that they might be wasting time though.

"I can't do this, I don't have any special power stuff…"

"Yes you can. Everyone has the ability, extremely few can even begin to use it."

Jamie opened his eyes, "but I'm not one of them."

Allie sensed his cut off in concentration. She opened her eyes revealing two solid black orbs, "I am." she said, her monotonous voice low and forceful.

Jamie was caught in a trance by the reflective blackness of Allie's eyes, "what… what happened?" he asked.

"Nothing…" Allie squeezed his hands, "concentrate!"

Jamie slammed his lids shut once more. "Tell me how this is supposed to help my brother again?"

"All things are connected, animals which are closely related share a stronger connection."

"That doesn't explain anything." Jamie protested.

"You don't need to understand, just trust that it's true." 

"How do I know it's true if I cant understand it?" Jamie opened his eyes again.

Allie released his hands and sighed, "you ask way too many questions…" she opened her eyes as the blackness retreated, "it probably wouldn't have worked anyway."

"Now what do we do?" Jamie asked.

"I don't know!" exhausted strain was clear on Allie's voice as she stood up. "I've never had to do anything like this… if Mary were here… she knows about all the undercover government stuff."

"Can't you go to your mother ship or something?"

Allie looked back at the boy and smiled, "this isn't a movie…" _he's right though_, _the scanners on an orbital base-craft could locate Tyler's bio-energy signature…_ "But there are no ships in the vicinity…" Allie thought out loud.

"What?"

Allie shook her head, "it's nothing, I was just…" 

The muffled ring of a cell phone stopped Allie mid-sentence. She turned slowly until the phones location was revealed. Its gunmetal and blue casing visible from beneath a stack of papers. Allie moved the few short feet to the table and slid the phone out.

"Payphone?" Allie read the caller ID aloud. She glanced to Jamie.

"Answer it?" he shrugged. Allie pressed the talk button and brought it to her ear.

"Hello?" 

The person on the other end took a breath, then: "is this Mary Crawford?" it was a mans voice, old and raspy.

Allie opened her mouth to say 'no' but rethought. "Yes, it is," she said, instead.

The man on the other end hesitated, "I… was expecting you to sound older…"

_He doesn't know Mary…_Allie thought_,_ "Who is this?"

"You don't know me, but I know all about you Miss Crawford… don't worry, I'm a friend."

Allie considered her words carefully, saying something like Mary would say sounded easy, but was proving quite difficult, "what is your name, _friend_?"

The man on the other end laughed, "you know better then that, Mary. Enough of this, though. I don't have much time."

"Okay…" Allie started but cut it off when the man continued talking.

"We have a mutual enemy, Keith Sheppard. I want to help you destroy him."

Allie said nothing as she considered the mans words, he cleared his throat in the phone to get her attention, "I'm listening." Allie said.

"The monster has kidnapped three children in order to lure that alien-girl thing your trying to help, I know where he's keeping them."

"You know where my friends are!?" Allie blurted then immediately covered her mouth; it was to late to stop it though.

Again, the old man on the other end of the phone was silent for a long time, "who is this?" he asked finally.

Allie wavered on indecision for a moment. But there was no need to hide things now, "I'm the alien-girl thing…" she said, a hint of disgustful mocking in her words.

"I have to go now…"

"No! Tell me where my friends are!" Allie cried out.

All she could hear for a long time was slow, steady breathing.

"Please…" Allie pleaded, "help me."

After a deep labored breath, the man said: "I will help those children. However, I can't help you."

"Thank you," Allie said, her voice low and subdued. She could feel a definite coldness and hate from the man, even through the phone. He disliked her because of what she was.

"It's a warehouse, 1142 Balane."

"Is that all…" she asked.

"Keith is very dangerous, he intends to kill you."

"I guess you think I should let him?"

Again, a slight pause, then: "I don't know what to think anymore." With that, the phone clicked as the man on the other end hung up, Allie pressed the button to turn the cell off. 

Jamie watched her toss the phone to the table, "who was it? Do they know where my brother is?"

Allie stood still for a while with her back to Jamie. The tone in that old mans voice still echoed.

All the effort Allie had put into rationalizing her existence was just about pushed out of her mind this days encounters, first from Jamie, and now from a man she had never even seen. She had heard the argument before. On Xeln, purist factions had demanded that she be sent away or destroyed, citing an ancient admonition against genetic experimentation. It was then that the reality of her existence had hit Allie full-force. She _was_ different; not human, not Xe… not like anything that had ever existed before, or should have ever existed at all. The thought terrified her at first, but John had been there, as he always was, to help her understand. And she managed to convince herself that her differences made her unique and important. But how would that uniqueness appear to the human populace? Would everyone hate her for the genetic experiment she is? 

"Allie," Jamie gently prodded with his words, "are you okay?"

"Yes," Allie said, turned to face him, "I was just thinking."

"The person on the phone… do they know where my brother is?"

Allie took a seat in a chair at the map table, "yes," she said while searching for a piece of paper. She found a blank sheet of copy paper and a pen, started writing.

"What are you doing?" Jamie moved closer, but maintained a careful distance.

"Leaving a note…" Allie continued writing.

Jamie looked at the paper, then back to Allie's face. The intense concentration there, and rising electric tension in the room didn't get past Jamie's young senses. He knew that something the person on the phone had said upset her. 

Allie laid the pen down and sat back, "your staying here," she said still looking at the paper, "I don't want anything to happen to you."

Jamie nodded but remained silent.

"I want you to hide," Allie turned toward him, projecting a screen of Mary Crawford before Jamie, "until this woman comes in. she's my friend and she will take care of you."

"O--okay…"

"Give her this," Allie folded the paper and handed it to Jamie, "it explains everything." 

The static electric charge in the room was starting to make Jamie's hair stand on end, Allie's hair whipped gently in an invisible breeze that seemed to come from nowhere. "Where are you going?" Jamie asked.

"To take care of something." Allie said. In that instant, the bright white energy burst forth from her position but Jamie could still see her standing in the midst of it.

"I'll get your brother back, I promises," she said.

The light intensified, causing Jamie to shield his eyes. Then it faded to black as quickly as it had come. Allie was gone.

* * *

"Where's Allie?" Charlie asked. Lisa sat beside him on the couch while the TV flickered in the foreground, the only other light in the room came from the quickly setting sun outside.

"She was at her friends house, she should have been home by now." Lisa said, flipped the channel to a news program that was covering the three mysterious kidnappings. 

"Oh…" Charlie looked down the hall, back to Lisa, "where's Ka'len?"

Lisa shrugged, "she said she was tired… I'm kind of worried about her."

Charlie stared at Lisa, she glanced sideways at him, "what?"

"Nothing," he shook his head, "it's just weird,"

"Well… she grew on me. What else can I say?"

Charlie nodded in agreement and fixed his attention on the TV, "those poor kids… what do you think is going on?"

"I don't know…" Lisa froze as a camera shot of the latest victims home flashed on screen, Charlie saw it too.

"But that's…" they both looked at each other before simultaneously jumping from the couch. 

A knock at the front door stopped both of them cold right as they reached it. Lisa opened the door slowly, revealing a young man in military fatigues.

"Mrs. Keys?" He asked urgently, then acknowledged Charlie behind her.

"Can… can we help you?" Lisa asked.

"It's very important ma'am, about Allie…" Bryan paused as his words hit the two.

"What?" Charlie demanded, "If you did anything to…" 

Lisa raised a hand to stop Charlie, "I know you!" she opened the door farther, "your that man that helped us"

"Yes ma'am. May I speak with you inside?" Bryan looked down the street at the news vans that had arrived at the scene recently, more then one of the news crews had shown interest in a member of the military in the area. Especially after he commandeered Sergeant Brady and his car for a ride. 

"Yeah," Lisa stepped aside, "come in."

Bryan turned and motioned to someone, Lisa looked down to the street where a young officer stepped out of a patrol car and started making his way toward them.

"What's going on?" Charlie asked suspiciously, eyeing the policeman as he approached.

"Don't worry, I'm on your side. Allie knows that." Bryan said as he stepped inside.

"Where's Allie! What happened?" Lisa demanded.

"I'd rather not say at the moment," Bryan hooked a thumb in the direction of the congregating news vans, most of them now had their transmitter masts at full extension. "I bet more then one of those trucks has a parabolic in it, they can hear anything we say."

Lisa nodded, turned to lead the two men into to living room. Charlie closed the door after the officer stepped in.

Bryan wasted no time, "there is a situation." he said, "Mary went back to our headquarters incase Allie went there. I'm here to keep you two safe."

"Safe, from what?" Charlie came around the two men to join Lisa, "and who's Mary?"

Lisa glanced away. They had never told him about the Crawford woman. How would he react?

"Mary Crawford, you might remember her." Bryan said before Lisa had a chance to say anything.

"You don't mean…" Charlie looked toward Lisa, "that woman who took Allie before?"

Lisa kept her eyes downcast, "yes, that one." she said, "but Allie says she's changed. She said she's a friend now."

"A friend!"

"Charlie…."

"Okay… okay, I guess Allie can tell these things…"

"Can someone tell me what's going on here?" sergeant Brady spoke from behind Bryan.

"I told you already, it's a very complex story." Bryan said.

"Mary Crawford and the army… where the hell is my daughter!" Charlie was obviously becoming upset.

"We don't know right now. I can tell you what we do know if it'll help."

Charlie pointed to the chair next to the couch, "Please do."

* * *


	19. chapter 19

A/N: This chapter, I believe, beats my all time shortest chapter record. I'm in a bit of a creative block with this particular part of the story so I just wanted to get some little part posted while I work the bugs out of the master plan. Again, sorry about the brevity. I'll do better with chapter 20. 

Legacy: chapter 19

* * *

Mary entered the headquarters fully expecting Allie to pop up behind her at any moment. As she reached the tracking room on the third floor, most of that hope was gone. 

The room was just as deserted and messy as it had been when Mary left it. Even if someone had been here, it wouldn't show. 

_No Allie…_ Mary concluded, _better find my phone and tell Bryan._

The last place Mary had use the cell phone had been at the map table, which at first glance looked like it had. But at Mary started turning over stacks of paper in her search, she noticed a new mark. A red circle over a part of town that they had never even been in. Mary also noticed that the circle had a rough quality to it, like someone had drawn it in a hurry.

A faint sound from the back of the room put Mary on the defensive. She spun around to find the source of the sound: a young boy emerging from behind a ratty old couch against the wall.

"What are you doing in here?" Mary asked, assuming that the kid wondered in here playing.

"I--I, Allie brought us…" the boy stammered as he dug in a pocket for something.

Mary glanced back at the circle, which had just taken on greater significance, then back to the boy: "where is she?"

"She went somewhere," he said, then pulled a folded piece of paper from his pocket, "she told me to give you this when you came in." 

Mary walked over and took the paper, unfolded it. "Mary," she read aloud, "My friends were taken by Keith, I am going to help them. Please watch the boy who gave you this note. And Mary, if anything happens, keep my mom and dad away from Keith. You are a good friend, and a good person. I always knew you would be." Mary clenched the note in her hand as she read the last of it. She also realized the one piece of critical information Allie had forgotten_. No address? Are you _trying _to get yourself killed, Allie?_

The boy cautiously walked past Mary to the map table, "she marked something here," he pointed across the table where he couldn't reach. Mary followed his outstretched arm and finger straight to the circle. It's meaning losing all vagueness now.

Mary looked at the boy, "what's your name?"

"Jamie…"

"Okay, Jamie. Help me find my cell phone so we can help Allie."

"I have it." he pulled the phone out of his other pocket.

This brought a small amount of relief to Mary. At least she could get Bryan and the others moving quickly… if Allie were even still alive to be saved. Mary couldn't help but think it. And the way the note said: 'if anything happens,' made Mary wonder if Allie already knew the great danger she had put herself in. sure, the girl has extra sensory abilities, but Allie herself said that she would have to see an attack b4 she could stop it. 

Mary took the phone from Jamie, hit the radio button and immediately keyed into the channel Bryan and the others were on, but just as quickly turned it off. Keith was probably scanning all the radio channels. Mary dialed the Keys house instead. 

* * *


	20. chapter 20

A/N: nuttin' much to say except: enjoy! 

Legacy: chapter 20

* * *

An early evening fog rolled in following the intermittent rain that had plagued the harbor side 'location' for the entire afternoon. Keith Sheppard kept up an alert watch on the deserted streets below from his position high atop a nearby, four-story brick warehouse. Various other agents occupied similar nests on the surrounding buildings.

In the center of the ring of carefully positioned agents sat a small, steel frame warehouse which had once housed the products of the 'American meat processing and distribution co.' now, all the old building contained were three kids, well restrained to a center column. Highly visible to anyone who got close to any of the entrances. 

Another agent occupied Keith's rooftop. A small man, but an expert marksman. Keith briefly glanced over at the man who held the stock of an incredibly advanced, and insanely expensive, sniper riffle tight to his shoulder. 

Keith returned his attention to the streets. _Whenever you're ready, Allie, _he thought. He had an excellent view of two of the main roads passing both in front of and along the north side of the former meatpacking warehouse. The assumption was that Allie would not be stupid enough to place herself in the warehouse. So the plan was to get a visual on her while she was on the street and wait until she entered the building to spring the trap. The snipers were in place, though. If she appeared to catch on to them, the orders where to take her down with a shot anywhere but the head. 

Keith hoped it would not come to that. The more he had thought about her, the more he wanted to know. To talk to her. Dissecting her brain could wait, there are some things that a surgeon's scalpel can never tell you. 

The cell phone in Keith's coat started vibrating rhythmically. A brief moment of anger passed over him. No one was supposed to call, not now! Unless it was that Crawford woman… Keith decided to humor her.

"Agent Crawford, what a pleasant…" Keith was cut short by a loud grunt in the phone.

"Sorry Shepp," the unmistakable voice of Thomas Richards rumbled through the speaker. "I'm not Mary."

"Mr. Richards…" Keith did not try to hide his disgust. Even though the hushed whisper he was talking in did a good job of it.

"I am sure you are very busy at the moment so I will be brief." Thomas said. "I do hope you enjoy the gift I sent you."

"What gift?"

"I believe her name is Allie. She has your location and is coming to stop you."

Keith struggled to suppress laughter. The fool had just played the girl right into his hands. "Well done, Mr. Richards. You're an even better alien killer then I am."

There was a pause from Thomas, "I'm sure that was an insult. I hate to ruin your fun."

"And just how would you do that?"

"The girl knows all about your plan. She will be on her guard, and from the files about her previous actions, she will be very dangerous."

Keith still had a grin on his face. Like Allie's powers even mattered now! There are ten snipers on these surrounding rooftops. If she made any move, it would be her last.

Thomas continued: "I am in a predicament, Keith. I honestly do not know who I want to die more. You or that genetically engineered aberration to humanity."

"Now Richards, that's not very nice." Keith finally laughed, "You will be the first to die, my friend."

"You mean those agents who were following me?" Thomas asked. Keith fell silent. "I do not believe they will be a problem any longer."

"Those men are highly trained hunters, they will find you eventually…"

"Were," Thomas corrected bluntly.

"What?"

"They _were_ highly trained hunters. I found them quite easy to dispose of."

"You're bluffing."

"Ahh… the automatic assumption that the old man cannot kill." Thomas chuckled, "I am an evil man, Keith. Not by choice, but by circumstance. I have learned many things from you and others… not to brag, but I believe I am more dangerous to you then that girl-like… thing."

Keith was speechless for a moment. He failed to notice the radio at his side squawking wildly, or the sniper over his shoulder trying franticly to get his attention without making a noise.

"I see you have little to say, old friend." Thomas said, "very well, I must go now… oh, and you should consider training your 'hunters' more thoroughly about hiding their tracks in the future, they are exceedingly easy to follow."

Keith slammed the cover of the phone closed before Thomas hung up. He was about to crush the phone onto the street below but the sniper finally got his attention. With a hand signal, the man directed Keith's eyes to a shadowy figure, slowly making her way up the dark street below.

The moment of the culmination of the hunt. The adrenalin induced excitement pushed the words of that stupid old man out of Keith's head. He focused a pair of miniature nigh-vision binoculars on the figure to confirm that this girl was the target. Who else could it be?

"Its her…" Keith whispered, "The moment has come." he silently pushed himself back from the roof ridge cap and walked toward the stairwell. He would face the girl eye to eye before anything else happened.

* * *

Bryan walked across the Keys front lawn away from a group of SF's who were studying a map. The last ten minutes had been hectic enough. Since Mary called with the word on Allie, Bryan had had a cell phone stuck in his ear, directing all his recon groups to converge on his location.

Which might not have been the greatest idea, considering the ten hastily parked, black, unmarked vehicles that littered the yard and the street. The news crews at the kidnapping scene down the street no doubt had their eye on all this activity. And Mary didn't seem all too concerned with that. Said it might even be a good thing.

Bryan didn't see that it would be good at all. Mary wanted to expose Keith. But a live TV news camera arriving at the wrong moment could expose Allie at the same time. Who knows what she's doing to Keith. 

Bryan's memories of his first encounters with Allie's powers ran through his mind. That ship had been so real! Everything, even the sounds and violent shaking of the ground as it crashed had been real. But it was not real, once the smoke cleared and the screen dropped away. 

That was one thing they didn't have to worry about, at least. Allie could most definitely take care of herself. But she would not be willing to do what it takes to end this. Bryan knew that it fell to him and his team to eliminate the agents. They needed to find Allie as soon as they could so that job would be easy. Literally like shooting fish in a barrel.

Charlie and Lisa stood in the driveway across the yard leaning against their car, Ka'len sat as still as a statue in the back seat. Bryan walked toward them but the borrowed cell phone rang again. He answered it.

"Thank god!" he almost yelled, "'bout time requisitions got back to me!" the woman on the other end fed him the traditional line of bull, Bryan cut her off, "Listen, I just need two Little Birds on this LZ five minutes ago! I don't care what you have to do, just get me those choppers!"

Bryan's jaw dropped as the woman told him the helicopters were already airborne. "Why didn't you say so? Good work!" he turned the phone off and closed the rest of the distance between himself and the Keys.

"Okay…" Bryan paused momentarily as he noticed sergeant Brady standing around a shallow corner. "We have two birds inbound," Bryan continued, focusing on Ka'len, "I want you three on the choppers as soon as they touch down." 

Lisa nodded, Charlie, however, was more adamant, "I want to be on the ground." he said, "if Allie's in trouble I want to be there for her."

"No, my job is to keep you safe. The air is safest." Bryan said, looked back down to Ka'len, "you think you can find her?"

"Yes…" Ka'len trailed, not shifting even slightly from her stiff position, "but it will take much energy. I may not be able to maintain this human form."

Lisa looked back, "what do you mean?"

Ka'len's eyes remained fixed on the seat in front of her, Lisa could see the traces of a tear in the corner of her eye. "Keeping this appearance takes a large amount of my body energy." the girl said, "If I am to find Allie, It will take a larger amount of that energy."

Lisa stared at the girl who had grown so much on her. Several weeks ago, this thing that Ka'len was contemplating would not have fazed her. But Lisa understood her fear. She reached through the open window and placed a hand gently on Ka'len's shoulder. "Don't worry, I will still think the same of you. No matter what shape your body is in."

Ka'len twitched slightly from the touch, then looked up at her new friend. "Really?"

"I promise."

Sergeant Brady listened to this whole exchange in silence, but his curiosity got the better of him, "some one is going to have to tell me what's going on here." he said.

Bryan looked over at him, "oh, you can go back to your investigation now, thank you for the help."

"Hell no!" Brady said, half jokingly. "I want to see what this is all about."

"I'm not going to stop you from following us, but I _strongly_ advise against it."

"You wont even know I'm here, sir." Brady said with a grin. Bryan didn't acknowledge him. Far off in the distance, the unmistakable sound of turbine powered rotor blades could be heard cutting their way through the air. 

"Okay!" Bryan turned away, addressing the SF's closest to him, "get these cars out of the street. This is to be treated like a hot LZ people, stay alert!" 

Lisa watched the young Major for a moment as he walked off giving orders to the men surrounding him, then Ka'len spoke.

"We will remain friends… if I am no longer in this form?" she asked, searching desperately for reassurance.

Lisa looked down into Ka'len's expectant eyes, "of course." she said, then followed Ka'len's gaze as it shifted to Charlie. "He… might be another story."

"I will understand," Ka'len nodded once, then closed her eyes. "I will start looking for Allie now."

* * *

_There they are!_ Allie stood in one of the large, roll door openings of the former meatpacking warehouse. She could see Tyler, Jessica, and Seth quite clearly. They sat around a large column in the center, obviously tied to it in some way. But the puzzling thing was that there was no one else in sight.

_This is a trap, a very stupid trap,_ Allie thought, _where are they? _Her eyes slowly scanned around her as she turned her head, _where are you, Keith?_

Tyler spotted her standing in the door; he tried franticly to yell to her, to tell her to run. But the gag in his mouth prevented it. Allie raised a finger to her mouth to signal him to be quiet. Yet she remained frozen on the threshold.

_I am very weak. I cannot transport again._ Allie reminded herself. This would not be easy, in fact, the more Allie thought about her situation, the more she regretted coming alone. _Please hurry Mary…_

Allie took one step inside and was immediately blinded as rows of massive spot lights activated, all focused on her position. She raised an arm to block some of the light and noticed some of the other men hiding in the shadows for the first time. _I should have been able to feel them, _Allie thought, _I must be weaker then I thought._

"AllisonKeys…" a voice bellowed from the street behind her. She turned quickly to find Keith Sheppard standing in the middle of the street, flanked on both sides by men with rifles leveled on her chest. "It took long enough." Keith said in a surprisingly conversational tone. 

Allie was immediately confused by several things. Keith had a very unusual energy pattern. She had noticed it the first time she saw him, in the zoo, but hadn't paid attention to it. Now, however, was a different story. She knew she should be scared, but the possibility raised by that unique energy pattern fascinated her. Could it be? Allie decided to play along with the man and find out more about him, "the directions you gave me were all wrong." she said dryly

"Directions?" Keith smirked, "I understand you had to get them straightened out by a former colleague of mine."

The men standing beside Keith exchanged confused glances. Allie saw the meaning: this was not how they had planned for it to happen. What was Keith doing…

"You are obviously a very smart man, Mr. Sheppard," Allie said, "This idea is really ingenious, using one of my weaknesses like this."

"Don't try the 'flatter the villain' bit. This isn't Hollywood." 

Allie lifted an eyebrow. Did he just admit he was the bad guy? "Doesn't the villain usually think he's the good guy?"

"That's not the point," Keith lifted his hand in a 'stop' gesture, "now, you're either going to come with me willingly, or in a body bag."

"Wouldn't the body bag be easer to handle?"

It was Keith's turn to lift an eyebrow, "what? You want to die?"

"It if will end this and let my friends go, I would do it." Allie lowered her eyes to the ground, "but that won't end anything. You have no idea why I'm here, on earth, do you?"

"I have my suspicions."

Allie kept her eyes on the ground for a while in silence. This man! What was it in his pattern? There was no way that he could be fully human… but did he know it? "Let my friends go." Allie said in a low, resigned voice. 

"Will you come with me?" Keith asked in a voice that almost bordered on gentle.

"I will." Allie looked up at the other men, "but only you, alone."

Keith made a hand signal to the men at his side to lower their weapons. "I'm glad to see that you are as smart as I am, Miss Keys." Keith walked over and placed a hand on Allie's shoulder to guide her away. Allie forcefully pushed him away.

"No! I want to see my friends leave!"

Keith stared at her for a moment, "you are very wise." he then made a gesture toward the children in the center. Several men emerged from the shadows inside and untied the three frightened teenagers.

"You aren't afraid that I'll hurt you?" Keith asked Allie as she watched her friends being freed.

"No, I know you will not." Allie said with certainty, even thought she honestly didn't know what would happen to her. 

"Allie!" Tyler yelled across the building as his gag came off. Allie just looked up at him with sorrow filled eyes, she mouthed the words, 'I'm sorry.'

Tyler was forcefully pushed away from the others as a man took him by the arm and started leading him toward the exit where Allie and Keith stood. "Allie?" he questioned as he was pushed past them. Jessica and Seth were not far behind.

Allie looked up to Keith, "let me talk to them, for a minute. Then I will go."

Keith rolled his eyes and sighed, "make it quick." he shoved her toward the three other kids as he yelled at the men to stop them.

"W--what's going on Allie?" Tyler asked with a shaky voice as he eyed the black suited men around them. "Who are these guys?"

"Yeah! What the hell is this?" Jessica demanded as she jerked her arm from the grasp of the man who had been pushing her.

Allie breathed deeply, "I don't have time to explain. Just know that I am very sorry for getting you involved in this."

"Involved in what!" Tyler spun to look at the man behind him, "What the hell is this?"

"I must go," Allie said, then leaned in to whisper to Tyler, "get away from these men, but don't leave the area. Help will arrive soon. Just tell them that you're my friends and they will take care of you."

"You're going with these guys? Are you crazy?" Tyler asked loudly. Allie was worried for a moment that he ignored what she had just said.

"I have never been so sure of anything in my life." Allie said thoughtfully, and she meant it. What ever Keith was, she would soon find out her fate. This was her fire. Like all tools must be tempered before they can be used, so to must she endure the test to follow. If she passed, the future of humanity was secure, if she failed… well, failure was not an option.

Allie backed away several steps then stopped, "I was looking forward to our 'date', Tyler. Perhaps, if you don't hate me after this is over, we can still go?"

"Hate you? Allie…" Tyler lifted an arm as if reaching out to her, but she had already turned and started walking back toward that man, Keith.

"Allie!" Tyler called over to her, she appeared not to hear, "I think… I think I…" _I think I love you. _

* * *


	21. chapter 21

A/N: sorry, had a bit of a delay again.

Legacy: chapter 21

* * *

Entrancing beauty radiated out from the blue orb of Earth as it hung peacefully on its orbital plain just as it had for millions upon millions of years. The ethereal glow of the planets atmosphere called out to all around to admire its delicate beauty. However, John had more important tasks at hand.

The vapor like, holographic projections that made up the crafts pilot interface flickered all around his small, gray form. One of the displays showed an enhanced image of the city known as 'Seattle' from twenty kilometers out. A second display showed a stabilized and grid lined image of Earth, in three dimensions. This display hung alongside the actual planet viewed through the forward view screen making for an interesting contrast. 

John brought one of his long gray fingers up and touched the projection of Seattle, causing a momentary ripple on the surface of the vapors, then, the map zoomed in around the area of his touch. A rectal came down and focused around an objects location, followed by indecipherable Xean symbols.

_Ka'len…_ John read the symbols. He had found one of them. But the important energy signature remained illusive. With another touch to an adjacent projection panel, the map scanned back out to twenty kilometers and a scroll of symbols reading: 'scanner range increased' rolled along the top of the image.

The _Sally_ would not arrive in Earth space for another three days. Until that time, all John had at his disposal was the weak surface bio-entity scanners of this small craft. 

The map blinked and the rectal focused down around Ka'len again, but nothing else. John was becoming worried. Allie's signature is stronger then Ka'len's; much stronger then his own. But she was nowhere to be found inside the city. 

The obvious and most logical answer was that Allie is no longer in the city. A most unfortunate scenario, since the bio-entity scanners on this small craft are limited to short range-spread scans. Another option would be to scan for Lisa's signature, but since her signal had been disabled, and John did not have an example of her natural body energy signature to match with a scan. That was impossible. 

Being the rational creature that he was, John also had to acknowledge the possibility that Allie was too weak for her signature to transmit very far… or worse. Even though it was unlikely for Allie to deplete herself, it was still a possibility. Perhaps the government of the land of 'United States' had once again renewed their attempts to apprehend her. She could be in trouble.

Those terribly troublesome emotions started to come over John. Allie was very important to the Xean High Council, more so then his entire fleet. But, genetic family lines set aside, Allie was also his closest friend. If anything happened to her… 

John caught the emotional overflow. But at the same time he hoped that his worst-case scenario was just that. Once the _Sally_ arrived, and he was behind the weapons console, there was no guarantee that those emotions could be suppressed adequately enough to avoid Earth's destruction. If the High Council didn't order it first.

John flexed his superior cognitive control and forced the inefficient thought thread from his consciousness, allowing rational and more productive thoughts to come fourth. Logic suggested that Ka'len would know where Allie is. So the first step in finding Allie is to get to Ka'len.

With a slight application of pressure to one of the control pads on the arms of his chair, the vapor holograms all disappeared, making way for a larger tactical display of Earth with a small red dot superimposed over Ka'len's location on the planet. Next, a simple outstretching of his will sent the small craft hurtling toward the atmosphere. 

* * *

Eerie city silence lay over the wet and dirty hiding place Tyler had chosen. Seth and Jessica huddled close to him in between the dumpsters. Every breath each one of them took was labored, apprehensive. As if even the sound of breathing would give their location away. Those men had already left, with Allie, so the chances of that happening were slim. Still, after what the three of them had just been through, any sliver of a chance of contact with those men was worth avoiding.

"I'm cold…" Jessica said shakily, "and I'm scared. Lets go!"

"Allie said to stay here." Tyler said without looking back. His eyes were fixed on the area in front of the building that had just been their prison. Help would come for them, Allie said so.

"I don't care!" Jessica suppressed a full body shiver, "Who knows why they wanted that girl? I think we should get away from here as quick as we can."

Seth noticed his friends discomfort and moved closer to her, "I think Jessie's right," he said, "what if no one comes?"

"Some one will come!" Tyler turned around and settled in facing the other two.

"How do you know?" Seth asked in a way that sounded more confrontational then he had intended.

"Allie said some one would come, that's how I know." Tyler told him. 

"So just because your _girlfriend_ says so, it has to be true?" Jessica asked.

"She's not my… 'Girlfriend'… I just trust her… I don't know."

Jessica managed a smirk, "sure, I heard what she said about a 'date'. Don't even try to get out of it now."

Tyler's face started to turn red, causing Seth to laugh. "Tyler's got a girlfriend. Tyler's got a…"

"Shut up man!" Tyler cut off his teasing, "what, are you in first grade or something? So what if I like her?"

"Lighten up… I was just trying to be funny…"

Tyler turned his head to the side, "this is not a good time for jokes." 

"You don't even know who she is Tyler," Jessica said, "Why did those men want her so bad that they had to use us?"

"I said I don't know!" Tyler turned all the way back toward the building he was watching. Jessica was right, but he didn't want to think about it. How could a girl as perfect in every way as Allie was be bad? Several scenarios out of the movies crept into his mind, but he dismissed them.

"What if her parents are like international drug smugglers or something?" Seth suggested.

"Right…" Tyler said incredulously, "You have no proof of that. You've never even seen her parents."

"Have you?" Seth asked. 

Tyler paused, _no._ He had only seen Allie's mother once in a car from a distance. She had looked normal enough, but criminal types like to blend… _what the hell am I thinking! They're not drug smugglers!_

"There is a perfectly logical explanation for all of this." Tyler said, "I'm sure Allie will explain it to us and we will all laugh about it."

"That's you, Tyler," Jessica shook her head, "always so trusting…"

"Be quiet…" Tyler held up a hand to silence her, "hear that?" he said as he looked to the sky above. "It's a helicopter."

"So, there are tons of those flying around." Seth spoke up, then stopped as he realized that what ever it was, it was much lower then any other helicopters normally fly.

Suddenly, a great burst of rotor downwash filled the narrow alleyway sending papers and other garbage spinning in every direction. The wind was followed shortly by an overwhelmingly bright searchlight that focused right in on their location with out hesitation.

Tyler lifted his arm to block the light, "help? Maybe…"

"What if it's those men?" Jessica asked as she pressed her back up against a dumpster to stay hidden from whoever was in the machine hovering overhead. 

"Tyler..." A voice boomed from the helicopters loud speaker, "do not be afraid."

_That voice… is… no._ Tyler shook his head. It sounded like Allie's cousin, Kaytlen. But why would she be in a… black helicopter?

The helicopter tilted forward slightly and started moving of toward the clearing in front of the old meatpacking warehouse. "Please, follow." the voice said as the searchlight started moving off in the direction of flight.

The three emerged from the alleyway as the helicopter was touching down in the middle of the street. They watched timidly from the partially obscured vantage point around the corner of the building as a convoy of unmarked, plain black vehicles came tearing down the street. Tires screeched all around as the trucks, vans, and cars came to hasty stops around the small black helicopter. 

"What now?" Tyler asked as he watched the chaos on the street. A second black helicopter roared overhead and then out of sight behind a building.

"Hey!" a voice called out from the crowd that was now feverishly combing the area around the warehouse, "you kids…" two men in military fatigues were running toward them.

In the split second he had to think about his actions, Tyler decided that these men were the 'help' Allie had promised. Jessica thought otherwise, she turned and ran as fast as she could in the opposite direction. 

"Jesse, wait!" Tyler tried to stop her.

Seth turned ad was about to run after her when Tyler grabbed the collar of his shirt.

"What? I was just going to catch her." He protested

The two men closed the rest of the distance, "you're the ones on the news?" the taller of the two asked.

"What news?"

"It's not important…" 

"We're friends of Allie, she told me to tell you… whoever you are."

The two soldiers exchanged glances then the shorter one looked down the alley after Jessica, the taller nodded.

"I'll bring her to the chopper…"

"Right." The taller man said as his buddy ran off after the girl, then looked at the remaining boys, "my name is Lieutenant Harper, I have to ask you two to come with me."

Tyler nodded and started walking toward the jumble of cars and trucks with Seth close behind.

The side door on the helicopter slid open and Tyler realized that the aircraft was their destination. The scene was surreal, like something out of a movie. Assault teams armed with every type of firearm imaginable stormed through all of the surrounding buildings. Tyler knew what they must be looking for.

He looked up to Lieutenant Harper, "those guys are all gone." Tyler told him, "They left with Allie after they let us go."

"Probably," Harper said, "but we have to be sure… Major!" 

Bryan turned toward the three approaching figures. "Lieutenant Harper, I thought there were three kids." He said as Harper brought the two boys up to a stop several paces away from the truck that was serving as a mobile command post. 

"Yes sir, Frankie ran after the other one."

"Right…" Bryan looked back to a laptop screen, "well, we have to move out. Get these two on the chopper." 

"Yes sir," Harper saluted and started herding Tyler and Seth toward the helicopter.

"What about our friend?" Tyler demanded loudly as they walked under the whirling rotor blades.

"We'll stick her on the other chopper once this one leaves, now get in."

The source of that mysterious voice became clear as Tyler started to climb in the side door. Kaytlen sat up front beside the pilot. It _had_ been her that recognized him. But why was she with them? And what was she doing? Her eyes were closed tightly and her skin was pale white, a trace of sweat showed on her forehead.

"There's not much room left," a man seated inside yelled out over the engine noise. Tyler had never seen him before but the woman sitting beside him Tyler recognized as Allie's mother. The more Tyler saw, the more curious he became. _What the hell is this?_

Seth backed away a bit, "you go on this one Ty, I'll wait for Jesse and ride with her."

"You can fit on this one," Harper tried to push Seth.

"No! I want to go with Jesse… so she wont be alone."

Harper studied the boy for a moment then removed his hand, "alright," he looked to Tyler, "but you need to go."

Tyler nodded and climbed up into the chopper, taking the last empty seat next to the unknown man.

The side door slid closed on its own and the turbine engine started racing up for takeoff, filling the passenger compartment with a high pitched whine. _No use asking any questions now,_ Tyler thought. A person could loose their voice very quickly trying to yell over the sound, which was now accompanied by the pounding of the rotor blades as they spun up to flight speed.

"It is good to see you again, Tyler." Kaytlen's voice said, but it was unusual. She wasn't yelling or anything, he could just hear her. 

Tyler could not see the girls face, but he soon saw one of her hands as it reached for one of the control levers. He watched speechlessly as she manipulated the various switches and dials like a pro. Then he got scared. _She's not going to fly this thing…is she?_ He glanced up at the other two people sharing the passenger cabin with him. They seemed unconcerned. 

The man in the pilot seat nodded toward Kaytlen and made a hand gesture toward the cyclic as if offering her control, Which she took without hesitation. Tyler's hands dug into the sides of the seat as the helicopter started lifting into the air.

* * *


	22. chapter 22

A/N: sorry for the delay again, lots of other stuff going on. But this fic is up there on my list of priorities so I wont let it go too long without an update.

Legacy: chapter 22

* * *

The wiper blades swiped back and forth across the windshield, squeegeeing off copious amounts of rain with each pass. Back and forth… back and forth… right, left, right, left… Allie's eyes followed the movement of the blades out of shear boredom. She knew the danger she was in, and the danger Keith was in because of her. That didn't matter; it was the silence that worried her the most. 

On the one hand, her impulsive decision to go with Keith seemed to be turning out better then she hoped. Sitting in a car, not talking, not doing anything but watching those annoying windshield wipers, was giving Allie the rest she badly needed. If they stayed on the road for an hour longer, she would have enough energy stored up to simply transport out of the car. That would give Keith something to be mad about.

Allie had to forcibly hold back laughter as she looked over at Keith and imagined the look on his face when she just disappeared.

But on the other hand, she couldn't leave. Keith was still eminating that unusual energy pattern, so Allie knew she had not misinterpreted his pattern in the heat of a tense situation. She needed to know the source of the anomaly. And, without the energy to make the car die so she could safely probe Keith's mind, talking was the only way to learn what she needed to know.

Without any information at all Allie already decided that the anomaly could only come from two sources. One, a natural mutation of the human sub-conscious cognitive centers; an event that happens so often in humans that it's considered normal. Except in Keith's case, the mutation brought him perilously close to that next step in evolution that the Xean Alliance was intended to assist with.

The second possible source was more confusing, but still fully plausible. The Xean breading program that had produced her had also had hundreds of other subjects. But, according to records, her family's line was the only one that had been pursued. What if by some mistake, one of the other hybridizing lines had been allowed to grow unchecked? That would account for the energy pattern all right, but there would have to be a full inquiry by the Scientific Council to determine how such a horrible mistake was made.

Allie decided to start the inquiry now. She wanted to know just how much Keith knew about his own genetic makeup. 

"Can I turn on the radio?" Allie asked. The conversation had to start somewhere.

Keith shifted his eye over to look at her for a second, then he refocused on the road without saying a word. Allie took his silence as an invitation. She reached out to the radio and was about to turn it on

"No," Keith said, stopping Allie's hand as she touched the dial.

Allie sat back and sighed, _so much for plan A…_she thought,_ does the first idea ever work?_

Nature gave Allie her next opening. She watched the rain, which was now falling heavily. "It's amazing, isn't it?" she asked while leaning forward to look up at the clouds through the windshield.

Keith didn't answer so Allie continued: "that something that looks as light and fluffy as a cloud can hold this much water." 

Keith finally glanced back over at her, "what are you doing?" he asked.

_He's good…_ Allie thought. _No use taking the indirect approach…_

"I'm trying to get you to talk because you know something I need to know," she said.

Keith stared hat her blankly for several seconds before turning his attention back to the wet road, "you are very strange." He said.

"As are you." Allie replied with a curt nod. She kept her penetrating blue eyes fixed on his face for several more minutes before speaking again, "why are you here?"

The question had a double meaning know only to Allie. But it didn't serve to stir Keith in the least. His eyes remained fixed on the road ahead.

Allie groaned, "If you don't talk to me I'm going to turn the radio on!"

"No, your not."

"Yes, I am!" Allie reached for the knob and twisted it… right off the radio.

Keith smirked, "your not going to turn it on because it's broken."

Allie studied the little plastic knob in her hand as a smile crept onto her lips, "very funny… you're good at this." She said, Keith didn't reply.

Allie extended her hand, holding the knob half way between Keith and herself. Keith watched out of the corner of his eye as Allie held the knob in that position for almost a minute. Then dropped her hand away and back to her side, leaving the knob floating in between them.

"Don't do that…" Keith turned as the knob started moving toward the radio. The little piece of plastic aligned with the stub it had just come off of and slowly slid back into place. 

"You're good," Allie said, staring straight at Keith, "but I'm better." The moment she uttered those words the radio blared to life, it scanned up and down the FM band erratically and finally settled on a country station.

Allie wrinkled her nose and glanced down at the radio, "maybe I'm not so good…" she turned the dial until she heard something familiar. One of her mom's old favorites, Allie forgot the name of the song but the band was Nirvana. "That's better."

Keith chuckled a bit as he turned his attention back to the road again, "you're going to make me rich…"

"So your poor now?" Allie asked.

"No…" Keith stopped himself, "I know what you're doing, so you can stop."

"What am I doing?" 

"Trying to mess with my head,"

Allie turned back forward and sunk down into the car seat, "if I wanted to mess with your head I would just do this," the road outside turned a bright shade of purple for several seconds in Keith's eyes.

"Stop doing things!"

"But its so much fun…" Allie mock pouted. She really did need to stop doing things, even these small things were tapping off of the small reserve of energy she had built up.

"What are you doing here?" Keith asked, causing Allie to grin.

"You tell me first."

"What?"

"I asked you that first… so answer me, and I might answer you." 

"You are in no position to demand answers, little girl." Keith talked down to Allie. Something she hated, but Allie decided to let him slip it by. Keith did not realize it, but he was leading the conversation right where Allie wanted it to go.

"And you are in such a position?" 

"I am an agent of the United States government, I am doing my duty…"

"Are you?" Allie leveled a cold analytical stare at him, "are you really doing your duty?" the answer was obviously no, not that Keith would ever admit it.

"Yes! My job is to learn about you, and what you are doing here… what your little friends have planned…."

"So, this is how you learn?" Allie motioned to their current surroundings, "a very ignorant way to gain knowledge."

Keith shook his head slightly then reaffixed his attention to the road. _Very stubborn, very intelligent… yet at the same time, incredibly stupid. _Allie thought. She already knew he cared little or nothing about the well fare of his fellow humans. She knew what he wanted to get out of her: money, and probably a large sum, from some bio-medical research facility. He could care less about answers to anything. But why had he not attempted to harm her yet? It was not too hard for Allie to imagine herself in Keith's position; it would make more sense to kill the 'target' and then transport. Keith was taking a monumental risk. Allie knew that Keith had read all about the gas station incident, and the screen that had fooled the army. In his eyes, Allie knew that she must appear as deadly as an armed nuclear warhead… 

_He risks everything, _Allie thought, _what does he want from me?_

_Stupid kid…_ Keith glanced over out of the corner of his eye. Did she really think her little mind games would work if he already knew about them? What really had him puzzled is why she allowed herself to be taken along for this ride. She must know what was going to happen to her. And what did she mean by: 'you know something I need to know'? Could she really be serious? 

"What do you want from me?" Allie spoke again, bringing slight anger to Keith, _so damnably persistent!_

"Lets keep that a surprise for now," Keith answered as he started slowing the car. There was a dirt road turn off ahead, which was his destination. Although it was more of a mud road after all this rain.

"Why are you turning there?" Allie asked.

_So stupid, like I will really tell you…_

"This car will get stuck." Allie said, but Keith didn't seem to listen. Allie was starting to get worried. Keith was about to turn off down a deserted old road into the woods that lined the sides of the freeway, and she had almost no power to defend herself if he tried anything.

"Don't turn there…" Allie was close to the point of pleading, but still managed to control herself.

"What makes you think you can stop me?" Keith asked. Allie saw the evil gleam in his eyes and felt fear for the first time since getting in the car.

"I'm warning you! I'll hurt you if you touch…."

"You're warning me?" Keith chuckled, "don't worry yourself," he turned sharply, throwing Allie off balance in the seat, "you only have one purpose."

The dirt road was much rougher then Allie expected it would be. She gripped the seat tightly, at the same time attempted to calm the building pain in her head. The headache was a warning sign: impending exhaustion. If Allie did not find a way to rest soon, she ran the risk of passing out. Not a good situation considering her present company.

After only a minute on the road and less then a quarter of a mile into the woods, Keith stopped the car.

"Why did we stop here?" Allie asked, looking about at the rain soaked trees and underbrush all around, most so thick that it would take major clearing just to walk through it.

"Why do you ask so many questions?" Keith smiled the most disgustingly insincere smile Allie had ever seen before throwing his door open and stepping out. Was he even trying to cover anything up anymore?

Allie watched him for a moment as Keith stretched and surveyed the immediate surroundings. Then, to Allie's dismay, he rounded the front of the car and opened her door. "This is the place. Get out."

Resistance would only delay her answers further. That in mind, Allie slid out of the seat and took up a rigid stance beside the car as Keith turned and started walking up the narrow road a short distance.

"There is nothing here!" Allie said after watching Keith watch her for several minutes, "what are you doing?"

"I'm messing with your head." Keith almost laughed, "and it's working."

"What is wrong with you!" Allie said, frustration clear in her voice.

Keith turned around again and spoke with his back to her: "there is nothing wrong with me. There is something wrong with you."

"Don't be so stupid to think I will fall for a simple mind game from a human!" Allie covered her mouth after the 'h' word.

_There _is_ something wrong with me…_ Allie removed her hands from her mouth and stared at them, _what am I?_

"I read every file on you, Miss Keys." Keith turned back facing her. "I read about your power, your abilities… but I also read about your weakness." 

"Weakness?"

__

"Yes, it seems you can only 'do' so much." Keith said, "It is my theory that you have already used up your power, and are no threat to me."

_He's brilliant! _Allie squared her stance, facing Keith, "are you sure you would like to test that theory?"

Keith shrugged, produced a pistol from inside his coat, "I'm always up for an experiment." He raised the gun, pointing it straight at Allie's head.

Thoughts ran through Allie's head; escape routes… anything nearby she could use. Keith was right, she was no threat, and Allie didn't know if she had enough energy to slow the bullet if he fired. Which he did.

The bullet whizzed past Allie's left ear severing a small clump of hair in passing.

Keith let out a visible sigh of relief, said: "lucky for you I'm such a good shot. I think that proves my theory quite well, don't you?"

Allie reached up and took the clump of hair from her shoulder all the while keeping her eyes immovably fixed on Keith. She didn't say a word to him, just stared with a combination of fear, anger, and helplessness.

"Now," Keith motioned to the tree line with the gun, "lets take a walk."

Allie held her head low in resignation and slowly started walking toward Keith, _Mary! Where are you?_

* * *


	23. chapter 23

A/N: I am very, VERY sorry about the long delay. Been busy with classes and other distractions (along with a straight-up loss of interest) and I have managed to neglect this story. Let it be no more! With Scifi's rearing, my spark of interest has returned, and this thing is back on track. (might not be able to do the sequel I planned though, I reallllllly want to work on other projects, not spend **all** my time on a fan fiction.) But, enough positive input might sway me… so lets hear it! Would you all like me to wrap this excruciatingly long tale up, or leave a hole for another continuation? 

* * *

"When can I see my brother?" Jamie spoke, breaking the monotonous drone of the road noise rumbling up from the tires. The boy had been so quiet; Mary was close forgetting that she even had a passenger. She could easily understand his silence though, with all that had happened to him, to everyone, in the last few hours. 

"We're heading there now." Mary told him as she glanced at the rearview, seeing the bustling city of Seattle quickly fade behind them. The dramatic change of landscape was one of the things Mary loved about this part of the country. Immense man made structures of steel and glass, surrounded on all sides by the majesty of natures creations. Huge, snowcapped mountains, thick, green forest lining the highway; it would be easy to imagine this environment as a fanciful movie set. Mary thought about how wonderful it would be to just stop the car and get out and stare out into the distance for as far as she could see; enjoy the beauty of the almost unspoiled countryside. But this was no movie set, even thought the events of the last few hours sound like a well-written script. Allie needed her, Mary knew it, and time was not on their side today.

"What she said," Jamie started hesitantly, "what Allie said about… aliens. Is it really true?"

The boy's level of uncertainty confused Mary. He seemed excited and curious, but at the same time nervous and afraid to learn the answer to his question. Mary nodded: "every word…what all did she tell you?"

Jamie shrugged, "a lot of stuff."

"Like what?"

"Like, how she was part alien, and lived in space, and…" Jamie trailed as he searched for more.

"That's all?" Mary asked, "She barely even scratched the surface." _Can't blame her for being sparse with the details though._

The car reached the crest of a low hill and a long line of stopped traffic greeted them, Mary could immediately see the reason for the hold up from their position on the hill. A roadblock about a mile up the road, and not just any roadblock, an army roadblock… Mary reached for her radio.

"Brian?" she called. Silence answered her at first, then with a squawk of static the major's voice came over the small speaker.

"Where are you?" he demanded loudly.

_Not even a 'hello'… _Mary thought, "I'm stuck in traffic. Is this your doing?"

"Yeah…" Bryan said, "we had to land the choppers for refueling, no air tankers around here." 

_Damn! Can anything else happen to slow us down? _Mary thought, asked: "how long till the search can resume?" 

"The tru—" a burst of static came over the hand piece, "—minutes, then we will load back up."

"What?" Mary called back.

"I can't hear you Mary…" another wave of static noise roared out of the small speaker.

"Good for nothing technology…" Mary grumbled as she tossed the radio in the back. "Remember this," she spoke to Jamie as she maneuvered the car out of the line of traffic, "there will never be any substitute for face to face communication." 

* * *

Charlie stood, propped up against one of the multitude of trees that lined the road. The activity, or lack of activity in the group was starting to get to him. Charlie never liked to sit still when he knew he could be doing something to help. And this was his daughter that needed help! Each moment that passed brought with it a building sense of rage, along with the knowledge that there really was nothing he could do. With the helicopters on the ground, their only way of tracking Allie, which was Ka'len, was grounded as well. Ka'len already said that she could not even get a fix on a general direction from the ground. The air was the only way, these men and women knew it just as well as Charlie, and the tension was thick in the air as they all waited helplessly for the fuel trucks.

The Major had sent several groups ahead to continue, but again, without guidance from Ka'len and the helicopters, it was only a move to keep moral up, to make the rest of them feel like they were doing something. False hope is better then total uselessness. 

The dedication this group of total strangers displayed, especially Bryan, created a warm sensation in Charlie's chest, a feeling of admiration, respect, and gratefulness that Charlie had never felt for any member of the military or government. It seemed that for once "the man", if not only this one kind hearted Major, was on his side. Placing trust in these people was all he could do, but it was not false trust, Charlie felt secure, and he felt that with the help of these people, Allie would be safe.

Lisa caught Charlie's attention as his eyes scanned over the group, she still sat in the door of the chopper, where he had left her, with that same disconnected look in her eyes. 

The first time Allie was taken away was crippling, Charlie could only imagine what Lisa felt now. Just as life seemed to be getting back to normal, this happens and tosses everything in the air again. A more frightening thought was: not getting Allie back at all this time, it was a possibility that Charlie hated to even think about, but it was a possibility nonetheless. How would Lisa handle it? Could she handle it? 

__

Could I handle it?

Charlie approached slowly, "what are you thinking?" he asked. Lisa stirred enough to look at him, but then turned away, returning her gaze to dirt several feet away.

"Everything," she said after a short pause, her voice was low and weak, "and nothing… I don't know."

Charlie took a seat beside her on the side of the aircraft, "everything and nothing at the same time," Charlie nudged her playfully, "did Allie teach you that?" 

"That's not funny." Lisa looked back at him with a slight hint of anger on her face, but averted her eyes again, "how can you make jokes about Allie at a time like this?"

"I'm sorry, I was just trying to cheer you up."

"I don't need to be cheered up. Our daughter is out there alone with some strange man and we don't even know if she can defend herself… or what is going on…" a tear ran down Lisa's cheek, "this is not right, not right at all. Allie said she would stay this time, she said she would never leave us, but she did!" 

Charlie pulled Lisa close, "I don't think she went away because she wanted to." He spoke in soothing tones, "and I don't think we have to worry so much, she will be fine."

Lisa grew still for several minutes, then took a breath, said: "you don't know, Charlie, you don't know what this is like." 

"What what is like?"

Lisa hesitated, she was unsure of how to tell Charlie this news, she wasn't sure she even wanted to say it. But he had to know. "I… can't feel her."

Charlie held Lisa back so he could look into her eyes, "what does that mean, 'you can't feel her'?"

"Nothing good," Lisa shook her head lightly, letting the implications overwhelm her, "she could be… could be… I don't even want to say it!"

Charlie cradled Lisa back in his arms as her words finally sank in. _Lisa's_ _connection… that means Allie could be…_

"Hello," a soft, feminine voice interrupted his thoughts. 

__

That voice…Charlie slowly lifted his eyes to see who had approached them, _so familiar…_his jaw dropped. Before him stood Mary Crawford, and a little boy, but Mary was all he cared to glare at. The woman… he hated her so much, for reasons he could not completely understand. It was almost an inborn reflex, a sense of danger. But Mary appeared with no signs of hostility. She looked and sounded apologetic, if anything.

"Mister and Misses Keys, I'm sure you know who I am…" Mary's voice wavered between her cool mask of confidence, and fear of rejection. Charlie's time as a teacher had taught him to recognize the trait easily. 

"Yes, we know who you are." Charlie said as Lisa turned her face up to look at the woman, then she corrected:

"We know who you were, not who you are now."

Mary opened her mouth but closed it again. That statement, it sounded so much like something Allie would say… "Then you already know."

Lisa nodded and dropped her head back onto Charlie's chest. "We know that your Allie's friend now, so we're your friends too." Lisa mumbled, her voice dropping lower with each word.

"Are you okay?" Charlie asked as Lisa snuggled tighter against him.

"Tired… very tired," Lisa's voice grew even weaker, "why am I so tired? Why…" a huge yawn interrupted her, "too tired to…"

"Lis…" Charlie gently rocked forward, Lisa did not respond, "are you asleep?" still no response. Charlie cast a questioning glance up at Mary.

She shrugged, with a quizzical expression on her face "must be tired…"

"Can I see my brother now?" Jamie interrupted.

"Oh, yeah," Mary looked past Charlie and Lisa, up into the helicopter but there was no one else inside.

"That boy?" Charlie asked, "Tyler?"

"Yes, Bryan told me he was over here." Mary said.

Charlie looked around, "he and Ka'len were talking… well, he was talking, but I don't know where they went."

* * *

"You should not have followed me," Ka'len called back as she gracefully ducked under a thorny branch. Her small group of followers refused to listen though, and continued to follow her deeper into the woods.

"Why wont you tell me?" Tyler asked, "I just want to know how you know how to fly a helicopter… and where are you going?"

"That information is irrelevant..."

"Stop talking like that!"

Ka'len stopped, turned her head just enough to see Tyler and the others out of the corner of her eye, "why are you following me if my manner of speaking bothers you that much?"

"Because you're strange… and we're curious."

"You are strange, and I am curious, but I do not follow you." Ka'len said, as she started moving again.

"Okay, if you cant tell me how you can fly a helicopter, at least tell me where we are going!"

"_We _are going nowhere… I am going, you are following."

Tyler sighed; Allie's cousin was beyond reason. By far, Kaytlen was the most unusual person he had ever met. Jessica and Seth obviously thought to same, the way they came up beside Tyler, stopped, and watched her move further into the forest.

__

That girl is determined, Tyler thought, watching the animal like way she maneuvered through the plants, around the trees. Almost as if she could see each move, each necessary footstep, long before she made it. 

"What's her problem?" Jessica asked.

"I don't know, she's… odd, very odd." Tyler looked after Ka'len's path one last time as she disappeared behind the leaves and branches. The uncomfortable wetness of their surroundings finally registered as he looked back down at his soaked shirt.

"Lets go back, we're getting drenched out here." Tyler said. But he looked in the direction that Ka'len had gone one last time. 

"What about her?" Seth asked in a hollow manner, his disinterest in the fate of the weird girl was coldly evident. 

"She doesn't want us to follow," Tyler said, turned to face his friends, "and I don't care anymore. This whole day… I just want to go home!"

Tyler pushed past Seth, heading back toward the road. Seth quickly turned to follow but Jessica did not move. 

"What about Allie?" she asked, bringing Tyler to an abrupt halt, "Do you still care what happens to her?"

* * *

"Where in the hell are those trucks?" Bryan paced back and forth beside their only mobile communications vehicle. Several young tech's sat inside, hunched over the displays in the back of the half-van/half-APC. One of them looked up.

"We can't get a fix on the GPS signal sir," 

"All satellite comms are all down too," the other man chimed in on cue, "its like a solar flare or something." 

Bryan stopped at the door, leaned in, "can you confirm a solar flare?" 

"Negative, sir." The first man spoke again, "No solar activity has been report—" all power inside the truck died before he could finish. 

"What the hell?" Brian looked forward to the driver, who was already trying in vain to start the engine back up. Then he noticed that the same situation was playing out all around them, the electrical system in every vehicle seemed to have simultaneously died. Even the choppers looked to be offline. "What is this?"

"Backup power is not coming online, sir. We're in the dark."

Bryan did not speak, or nod, or in any other way acknowledge the man, his eyes had already been drawn to the source of the disturbance.

High overhead, three brilliant blue lights with intense white centers danced silently. Bryan, and most of the other men by now, watched in speechless awe as the lights descended lower and lower over the forest, finally settling somewhere out of sight and not very far from the road.

* * *


	24. chapter 24

A/N: I wrestled with several ideas on this chapter, but, in the end, decided to cut about half off of it to make chapter 25. It looks like this story is just about to its climax, then there will be a short unwinding and… it will be finished. 

Legacy: chapter 24

* * *

Ka'len glanced back over her shoulder to insure that the pack of curious humans had indeed gone back, as she had instructed them in the first place. Such stubborn creatures they can sometimes be!

But… for all their shortcomings, Ka'len wished with all her heart that she could be one of them. Lead a simple life… it was the same draw that turned many Xe toward the ancient beliefs, and Zx'al. The driving urge to simply exist, to be just another nameless body in the service of some imaginary force. It would be liberating, a massive weight lifted. But Ka'len knew it was just an excuse, a way to get out of making the most of what you are. And she had decided that that was the last thing she wanted to do: give up.

Giving up is never an option for an intelligent creature. There is always a way to accomplish what you need to do. All you have to do is find it.

Right now, Ka'len knew what she needed to accomplish, and she was determined to find her path, he means to help Allie. No trick of "fate" or "luck" could help her friend; Ka'len knew the futility of these notions.

Notions that made the summons to this spot ever more confusing.

The meeting beacon, sent by a Xean craft… How was it possible? No ships were supposed to pass anywhere near this galaxy for three solar years. Yet a Xean craft had arrived, and was en route to this very spot where she stood: a small clearing in the otherwise thick forest.

The humans would see it, they would see the flashy subterfuge put on by the crafts detection avoidance system, the "lights", as they call them. They would know what it was when they saw it, but how would they react?

Most of the military personnel already knew the whole truth, about Allie and herself, and the Xean civilization, but that is no accurate predictor of behavior. Irrational fear can cause irreparable damage when mixed with powerful weapons. 

For now, Ka'len was more concerned with the nature of this visit. The reaction of the humans was a secondary concern, a thought to be kept in the back of her mind as everything else plays out. Who could have come, and for what reason? 

There were a million possible scenarios, but all questions would be answered sooner then Ka'len could think of them all. The craft was close now, even thought she could not see anything through the trees, she could feel it strongly.

A branch broke behind her followed by the sound of feet crunching along in the debris of the forest floor. Ka'len turned to see Tyler standing, staring at her. The fact that he was alone was stranger then hem being there in the first place, Ka'len had expected them all to still be sneaking around to watch her.

"What are you doing?" Ka'len demanded, "go back, you should not be here!"

"No," Tyler stood straight to make his stand, "the others went back, I came to bring you back."

"Why? I told _you all_ to go back."

__

"Its not safe out here," 

Ka'len caught the first glimpse of the lights from behind Tyler, he continued without noticing: "and I don't know why, but I think you're important. We need you to find Allie."

_What is the purpose of continuing? _Ka'len thought, as the lights grew closer, _this human will see the craft in a matter of seconds, if he goes back or not. It is time for truth._

"Yes, I can find Allie," Ka'len said, "I can sense her energy patterns, and guide the search from that crude machine."

Tyler was taken off guard by her sudden openness, "oh…" was all he could say at first, then: "what do you mean 'energy patterns'? Are you saying that you're some kind of psychic?" 

"No." Ka'len said flatly, then lifted her head to look at the lights that were now very low, and very close. Tyler turned to see what she was looking at.

His jaw dropped, Tyler spun back toward Ka'len with a terrified look on his face, "wha… what the hell is that?" 

"It is an atmospheric entry vehicle."

Tyler turned back to look at the lights again, then back to Ka'len with the same look of confusion and fear, "what?" 

"Come, stand here," Ka'len pointed to a spot right beside her.

"No!" Tyler ducked behind a tree as the lights settled overhead, "what's going on?"

Ka'len did not hear his question though, as the lights settled, her cranial communications implant activated, sending a message from John into her thoughts. 

_Allie's mission has changed. Where is she?_

Ka'len processed his words and a single, horrible thought entered her mind: If the ships sensors could not find her… then all could already be lost.

Ka'len composed her thoughts, responded: _She has gone with an agent of this nations government, we cannot find her. _

All the while, Tyler darted his attention from the thing hovering overhead, and Ka'len. Fear gripped him, and urged him to run. But something else was there, a soothing feeling, almost a voice in his head telling him that it would all be all right.

_I see, _John responded, then asked: _the humans with Lisa are friend or enemy?_

Friend, Ka'len answered quickly, _they are assisting with the search._

There was a short moment of uneasiness, a feeling transmitted over the link, then John 'spoke': _I will offer this craft in assistance as well._

I do not understand… we are not to involve ourselves in human affairs…

Again, Ka'len felt John's uneasiness transfer over the link, _you were intentionally misled, _John communicated,_ the true purpose of this mission was known only to Allie, myself, and the High Council._

Ka'len waited for his explanation to continue, which it did after a short pause that Ka'len knew was for gauging her reaction.

_We have come to this world to create an alliance between our races. That was Allie's mission, to prepare for our arrival._ _A mission that is no longer necessary._

I understand, Ka'len lied, even thought her true emotions would surely transfer into John's mind in the ship above.

__

The boy, John said, _offer him transport… but it must be his choice to come with us._

With that, John shut the link off, along with the lights, leaving a still brilliantly lit, yet recognizably saucer shaped craft hovering just above the tree tops with little more then a low pitched rumble to announce it's presence.

Ka'len turned toward Tyler as a beam of blue-white energy burst downward from the center of the craft, shaking the ground as it surrounded her. She held out her hand as an invitation, "do not be afraid, we are your friends." she told him in a calming tone. "Come, we will return you to the others." 

* * *

_Cold… too cold. _Allie held her arms tightly to her body, but it was not helping. The rain was slowing, but it was being replaced by an unusually cold wind that blew through her soaked clothing, making the unbearable cold just that much worse.

She glanced back over her shoulder at Keith… he was still right behind her. _What did I expect? _Allie thought as she stumbled over a root in the path. A new sensation was building within her: pure hate. Never before had Allie hated another being so completely. True, there had been moments of anger. But never such a complete lack of caring, lack of any form of compassion of even an attempt to understand what he might be thinking. Allie just wanted him to go away. If he dropped dead that very moment, she would simply step over his body and head back to the car.

But that energy… that damn energy! It was the only thing that concerned her, the only thing she even remotely cared about. Keith could not die yet… how else would she be able to learn just what he was if he was not around to answer questions?

The piercing, throbbing headache that signified her impending state of extreme exhaustion had not let up in the least. Even though Allie ignored the pain, it was still getting worse. The pressure! It felt as if it could push her eyes right out of her head. With each passing minute the pounding grew more intense. Allie could feel her consciousness slipping, but she held it together.

She still had to try one last thing, an appeal to Keith's caring side. No matter how deeply his emotions were buried, how cold and hard his heart was, Allie knew that no man could resist the awesome, controlling power of… a little girls tears.

Allie spotted another root several feet ahead. A few skillfully placed foot falls later and down she went, a little harder then she would have liked, but it was a fully believable fall. Allie smiled a tiny bit as she listened to Keith come to a stop behind her and let out an annoyed groan.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"I fell…" Allie replied coldly, "what does it look like I'm doing?"

"Get up." Keith demanded.

_Show time! _Allie thought as a forcefully produced tear rolled down her cheek. "Why…" her voice cracked, Keith remained silent, "why can't we stop?" Allie allowed a sob to shake her body.

"Now what are you doing?" Keith seemed unimpressed, But thought: _I don't remember anything about her crying being in any of the reports… in fact, it was specifically mentioned that she never cried at any time while in military custody…_

"Shut up!" Allie cried out as she turned the water works up a notch, "You… you…"

__

"Bastard? Son of a bitch?" Keith prompted.

Allie turned to see him smiling… actually smiling. _What is wrong with him? _The thought only served to fuel her emotions with the apparent hopelessness of her situation, until she no longer had to fake the tears.

"I'm cold," Allie could taste the salty flavor of real tears on her lips, "and I'm tired, and I'm hungry, and I'm scared. But you don't care!"

"What was your first clue?" Keith quipped.

"You don't care about who you hurt, who you use to get what? stupid little answers! You don't even know the questions!"

"Sometimes the answer comes before the question."

"You don't get it, do you?" Allie stood, still crying, but now totally beyond her own control, "you don't even know what your doing! My purpose of return… my mission… you haven't the slightest clue of what kind of powers you are dealing with… what kind of enemies you are making!"

"My goal is to learn what it is that you're doing here to help protect this country…"

"Your goal is to make money! You self-righteous bastard!"

Keith felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up after Allie's last outburst. _Fear?_

"What you are doing right now" Allie continued, "is endangering your precious country… the entire human race! You have no right to be called a man, you are less then human, less then ape… I don't even know what you are!" 

__

"You have some nerve to say that _I_ am less then human. I'm not the one who has the blood of some animal from another planet in their family."

The tears stopped. If Keith could see the look on Allie's down turned face, he would know just how deeply his remark had cut, and how much stored up anger was prepared to burst forth without warning. 

But something else intervened in place of anger. An epiphany. Allie knew… she knew all about him now. It was clear. John's words from almost five years ago, right after leaving earth, had held no real meaning until this moment.

_"After the accidental meeting with your great grandmother, I was assigned to other human women when the science council realized the potential results. As far as the records go, it seems that I was the only one to mate with the human females." _

John had gone on to explain how each of the non-productive family lines had been sterilized to prevent contamination of the human stock. 

_But…_Allie thought, _Keith… he is…this means that he's…_

Yes, it all made disgusting sense. The energy pattern, the inexplicable and disturbing sense of familiarity… there was no other explanation…

_He's part of my family! _Allie's mind went utterly blank for several minutes. Her stomach twisted, she could taste the bile rising to the back of her throat. When she forced herself to look at the man she _knew _she would be sick.

"This changes things…" Allie mumbled, as the surging pain of her exhaustion headache demanded her total attention at last. Lightheadedness accompanied the pain and Allie's vision narrowed into black.

Keith watched her getting tipsy but realized what was happening too late. She fell hard onto the path they had been walking along. 

"Stop playing games." Keith said with a sigh, nudged Allie's foot with his own only to find her completely limp. She was out cold.

"Wonderful! Just wonderful…" Keith said, then thought: _I guess it time for a break then._

Stupid kid… Keith found a spot against a tree right next to Allie. He was not taking his eyes off her for a second! _One so full of tricks… so strange…so… cold, _he could see her shivering.

_I guess it is cold out here…_

The next action Keith took defies explanation. Even he was not sure what moved him to do this thing, but, without a word, Keith took the coat off his back and gently placed it over her. 

* * *


	25. chapter 25

A/N: ACK! This is the worst chapter yet. I apologize in advance for the crappyness. Next chapter will rock though, I promise!

Legacy: chapter 25

* * *

__

Allie is counting on me, and we're just sitting here… Mary paced in front of the communications truck that Major Pierce and several techs were fervently working to repair, even though it was a futile attempt. Bryan knew just as well as Mary what had knocked out the electrical system. But there was always that fleeting chance beyond all hope that maybe, just maybe, a wrench could undo what the alien craft had done.

_But it's pointless; we could cover more ground walking! _Mary slowed and glared at the Major, '_No, we wait for the fuel trucks_.' _Fuel for what? The helicopters are just as dead as this truck._

Bryan's attention strayed from the engine compartment, once again, distracted by Mary's restless pacing, "do you think you could stop? We're already on edge here."

Mary did stop, turned toward Bryan with the most sincere expression he had ever seen anyone fake, and said: "I'm sorry. I didn't realize…" 

Bryan chose to ignore her attitude, there was a more important question on his mind: "why do you think they finally showed up? You think they could have been watching us the whole time?"

"It's obvious," Mary turned and started along her path once more, "we failed."

"Failed?"

"Yes. This has all been a test from the beginning. They didn't want to leave Allie until they knew she was safe."

"I think Allie would have told us…" 

Mary cut him short: "who said she knew about it?"

Brian shrugged, _no use trying to argue, she's already made up her mind…_

"Why hasn't Allie told us anything about why she came back?" Mary continued, "There has to be a reason."

Bryan shrugged again and turned back to the engine compartment as Mary continued pacing and theorizing.

"Everything they do is driven by logic and efficiency." Mary unconsciously stopped walking, "why bring her all the way back to this planet? It must be an unimaginable distance. Imagine the cost!"

"Assuming they even have a concept of cost." Bryan added, speaking over his shoulder. 

"Right… but the fact remains. They must have some means of power generation. Allie already told me that the craft are only controlled by the mind, not powered by it."

"So, they have some type—" Bryan strained on a rusty bolt, "—of nuclear power… but by a different name."

Mary pondered the idea for a moment, then shook her head, "that's not the point… generating power takes resources, some type of fuel. Why did they bring Allie back here, using a large amount of resources to do so, if it did not serve some higher purpose?"

"Maybe they felt bad for taking her away and they wanted to reunite her with her family…"

"I don't think it's that simple," Mary moved closer to the truck, "Allie is everything to them, an extremely important asset... the culmination of fifty years of work. They would not just drop her off for no reason."

"Well, I haven't heard you come up with any answers yet." Bryan said as he yanked on a snagged battery cable.

"I haven't come up with any answers." Mary said plainly, "but I have some ideas."

"Please, tell," _I know there's no way to shut you up otherwise…_

"Just think about it," Mary started immediately, "they are a scientific society, so, everything they do must have some logical value… they could need more information about this planet. Or maybe we have some mineral or other substance that they need."

Bryan straightened himself and turned toward Mary, "why would they send Allie for something like that though? Couldn't they just take whatever they need? I don't think we could stop them."

Mary nodded, Bryan was right. This had to be something big… "Maybe they want to be friends… something on a diplomatic scale."

An incredulous grin spread across Bryan's face, but before he could tell Mary why that idea was crazy, the radio on his belt burst back to life with a loud static roar. All the vehicles followed suit, filling the formerly quiet scene with the rumble of multiple large engines.

As the shock subsided, Bryan realized that there was a voice in the static. He jerked the radio out of its holder and answered back. The voice was garbled, but enough of the message got through to get the important information across. Bryan looked toward the roadblock, where the man who had radioed stood. Right beyond that sat a parked news van and its crew, who were trying to cross the barricade by the looks of it.

"Damn! That's not what we need right now…" 

"No… " Mary said and started walking toward the journalistic disturbance, "let me handle it."

* * *

"…The American people have a right to know what's going on here! At least let us talk to someone in charge." Mary overheard bits of the conversation as she moved closer. The woman doing the talking had short blond hair and a classic TV reporter outfit, rounded out by the microphone with a huge red foam windscreen, the letters "KDLM" written on the side of it.

_Local station… _Mary thought, _at least it's not Fox._

The cameraman wore a ratty old T-shirt and a cap with the same "KDLM" logo emblazoned on the front. And it appeared that the camera was in working order.

_I don't care if Allie wants to wait, the people do have a right to know what's happening, to see the truth with their own eyes._

The young soldier who had stopped them spoke: "I'm sorry ma'am, no one is allowed in."

"For what reason?" the reporter demanded. "What could make the Army block this much road for so long… and what were those lights?"

"Sorry, Ma'am. That information is…"

Mary clasp a hand on the mans shoulder and smiled at the news crew, "thank you private, I'll take it from here."

The soldier turned, "it's lieutenant ma'am, and by who's orders?"

"The Majors…" Mary put on a serious face, "you are relieved from guard duty." 

Mary smiled shallowly at the man as he tried to remain dignified. Then she turned to the reporter as he walked away. "So, what can I do for you?" Mary asked.

"You can start by answering the question he refused to." The young woman said, then extended her hand as an afterthought and added: "Christina Hart, channel 22 news."

Mary's hopes started to diminish, _this girl's young, and new… she'll probably be the first to run if that craft comes anywhere near us._

"First assignment?" Mary probed as she took the offered handshake.

"No," Christina looked puzzled, "why?"

"No reason," Mary shrugged and raised the warning tape, "come on."

Both Christina and her cameraman hesitated, but quickly overcame what little inhibitions they had and rushed under the tape.

__

Both of them have a careless hunger for a story, Mary thought, _maybe this will work after all._

Christina started in with questions before Mary even let go of the tape, "what's all this about miss…" 

"Crawford, Mary Crawford, with the NSA." Mary told her, then turned to face the large array of military vehicles that the camera was already documenting "this is about a search."

"What kind of search?" the cameraman spoke with a voice much deeper then Mary would have expected from such a beanpole of a young man. 

"A very special little girl was… kidnapped, for lack of a better term. We are trying to find her." Mary started walking toward the communications truck, "follow me."

"I knew it!" Christina shouted, turning back to the cameraman, "didn't I tell you Tony? I knew this was related to the other three kidnappings somehow."

"It is," Mary said, "in a very large way, but we already found the other three children," she pointed over to the helicopters where Jessica and Seth had just returned from the woods. "You followed this group from the site of the third abduction didn't you?" Mary asked.

"I had a feeling it was related… but how did you find the others so fast?"

"They were merely bait, we picked them up along the way."

"Bait? Just what is going on here?"

A deep vibration filled the air all around the group. It grew steadily louder, and louder.

Mary glanced over at Tony and asked: "does that camera work?" He nodded, Mary pointed toward the treetops right off the road, said: "point it over there and don't stop filming." As she spoke, the vibration gave way to an audible pulsating hum.

"What's happening?" Christina asked, but her question did not need an answer.

A large metallic silver colored saucer slid over the treetops as if it were weightless. The bright, multicolored lights created a spectacular light show, but the pure white light was the strongest and it bathed the surrounding area in an eerie glow.

Mary was almost overcome with the beauty of the machine, but she managed to keep a fairly indifferent expression, and said: "this is the biggest story in all of human history, and I have just given you the exclusive."

* * *


	26. chapter 26

A/N: no A/N… A/N?… no A/N!… A/N?…. NO A/N!!!!!!! (Sorry…. That 'and then?' thing has been stuck in my head all day… If you don't know the reference, then go watch some movies! Geez!) Enjoy: 

Legacy: chapter 26

* * *

Her eyes eased open ever so slowly, only far enough to get a blurry image of the surroundings. Far enough to see him, though, and confirm that: yes, she was still alive, and yes, this was all very real. Not just some bad dream that she could not wake up from.

Staying still was a challenge. The spot where Allie had fallen was covered with twigs and other sharp forest floor debris. She _had_ to remain still, though. The headache had subsided, and, given at least another hour of rest, some of her energy would return… No… there was no reason to deny the fact. Allie knew the energy would never come back. She was dying. 

Allie slowly forced her eyes closed. No movement… not even a breath. Keith could not know that she was awake! Allie knew that death stalked around the trees, she could feel it. But instinct drove her to cling to whatever hope of survival there was, even if that hope was painfully remote. A slight further exertion could spell the end of everything. Movement was the enemy, not Keith. If her life ended; the eventual demise of the whole human race would be the result. Unacceptable!

For some reason, out of everything else in the world that should be running through her mind; all the time she had wasted since her return that could have been spent with her parents, all the missed joys and sorrows of her early teen life. All the future joys that she would miss; meeting that special someone, becoming a mother… out of all these things, Keith Sheppard was the focus of her concentration.

__

Why? She demanded. Why was he the utmost figure in her thoughts? Why did he even matter? The man could drop off the face of the earth for all she cared! 

But… that wasn't true. She did care, for some horribly irrational reason she _did _care.

_Why?_ Allie almost pleaded with her own thoughts. She wanted to hate Keith, she wanted to hate him more then anything else! But something within her would not allow it. To the contrary, she was filled with compassion for the man. Was it because he was remotely related to her? Or that there was still so much information that Allie needed to know to decide just how they were related… a curiosity, then? 

No. Allie knew why… she felt sorry for him. She could tell just from how he acted that he had been searching for something. 'Something' being the key, Keith did not know what he was looking for, or even that he had been looking for anything at all. But Allie knew. How else could a man so devote himself to a cause that he obviously does not understand? The money was a factor… but he was really just looking for himself. Something in this world that he could point to, as a reflection of himself, and say: 'I did that!' 

An involuntary shudder moved down the length of Allie's body. Not of cold, or of fear, or revulsion. It was a sign that the precise control she exercised over her body was starting to slip. Even thought she had commanded no movement, and it had worked for a while, that extreme upper level of conditioning was struggling for sustenance just the same as her other abilities. There was no more energy to go around.

Keith noticed the movement, but did not say anything. Allie peaked her eyes back open, there was no use in expending the energy of forcing her body to lie still if Keith already knew she was awake. The wider field of vision brought another object to Allie's attention: Keith's coat lay draped over her upper body. _He… gave it to me?_

The signal that Keith was emitting was strong, just as strong as ever. But Allie noticed a new quality to it. A shift had occurred. 

Keith sat only ten feet away, his back pressed up against a tree. The expression on his face as he twisted a small twig through his fingers mirrored the change in his bioenergy pattern. Allie could not explain how she was able to correlate pattern with expression, it was just clear to her.

Indifference, pure and simple indifference played over his face, and the pattern mimicked it. His face appeared neither kind nor cruel, and the pattern betrayed no underlying traits. He was just there. 

Allie moved an arm in an attempt to pick herself up slightly. Again, Keith made note, but still remained silent. 

With a better view, Allie studied him for a while longer before saying: "Thanks"

Keith nodded once slowly, but kept his attention fixed on the small twig in his hand.

"For your coat…" Allie continued, "It's cold out here."

Keith made no attempt to reply.

__

He's doing it again, Allie thought. He had displayed the same disconnectedness in the car on the way out here, the same, but in some very hard to explain way, it was different now. He didn't have the same threatening air about him. And that energy pattern!

How could it change so quickly? The pattern given off by all creatures is a constant. Only changing over a vast amount of time. One millionth of a step out of phase was considered normal shift for an entire average Xean's life span of 370 solar years. Human phase shift was still unknown, but no creature, not even the simplest of life forms could selectively shift energy pattern. And Keith's had just shifted by an exponent of ten, or more! 

"Why did you give it to me?" Allie asked as she slid up against a tree, matching Keith's posture. She had to know, even if she would never be able to pass on the knowledge, what had caused the shift, and what result it was having on his behavior.

"I thought I was just a lab rat to you?"

"Lab rats don't work to good when they're dead." Keith replied dryly.

_True…_Allie thought, _but I'm already dying. _The realization was old news now, but still just as harsh. It was true. The cold calculation of her analytical mind would not let her forget the fact for five minutes! Allie knew she would die of the energy depletion if she was not removed from this environment soon. Very soon! And even then it would probably be too late. 

"I'm afraid that you coat is not enough to stop that." Allie said, her voice taking on the first hint of weakness, "Lab rats die when they get sick too."

Keith looked over at her but said nothing.

"I have used up everything I have." Allie shrugged, "Soon, my body will begin shutting down to conserve what little is left."

"Didn't I already tell you to stop playing games? I know your just saying that."

"I am saying it, but it's no game. I wish it was…"

Keith stared at her for several seconds before returning his attention to the twig. 

What was _his_ game? Allie studied him as he just sat there, twisting that damn twig through his fingers over and over. Remorse, maybe? That was very unlikely, but still understandable. Something had to have changed his pattern… something big enough to change his whole outlook, to shock his system… Or that could just be the most interesting stick on the planet…

"What are you looking at?" Allie asked.

"Nothing."

"It looks like a stick to me," Allie said, intentionally trying to lighten his mood, and her own. Now was her last chance to get answers, to find out just how much Keith knew about himself. 

Keith took one last look at the little twig before tossing it over his shoulder. "Now its nothing."

"Right…" Allie inhaled deeply. There was going to be no smooth transition into this line of questioning, and time was of the essence. So, she took the direct route: "what are your parents like?"

"What?" Keith looked at her as if she were crazy, "I told you, no games."

"No game, just a question."

Again, a long analyzing stair from Keith, then, shockingly, he started talking: "Parent, you mean. My dad died when I was twelve."

"Sorry…"

Keith chuckled, "I'm sure you have _tons_ of pity for me… people told me about him after he died. He ran out on me and my mother. I was glad he died!"

"How did he die?"

"Some brain thing, an aneurysm or something, like I really care!"

_You do care… I can see it._

"Those people also said he was a strange person. Way too insightful and always getting in trouble because of some badly timed remark… maybe that's how he died, someone got pissed and bashed his brains out."

"No, it _was _an aneurysm."

"Yeah…" Keith studied Allie through a sideways glance. "Why am I telling you all this?" he asked. It was more of a personal question then one directed at Allie, but she answered just the same:

"Because you need to tell someone." Allie said, and though: _time to finalize my move! _"You never said goodbye to your father, and you will never be able to." She started bluffing somewhere near the middle, "I think that you loved him, and wanted to tell him."

Keith had to laugh, it was just too good: "you have a lot to learn about questioning, kid."

"Do I? Or am I right, and you're just afraid to believe that you actually do feel that way about your father."

"Yes, you do! I would kill the man on sight if he walked up right now."

"You're wrong! I know how you feel… I can see it." Allie lied through her teeth; she had lost the energy for that kind of forced insight right along with the other abilities several hours ago. Just as long as it sounded convincing, though. She might be able to change his mind.

Keith nodded absently, there was still a cocked smile across his face but his eyes took on that same glazed, disconnected look again. Allie knew she had done the trick. Keith was now in turmoil on the inside, searching through his deeply buried memories and feelings to confirm what she had told him. Even though it was a guess on her part, the primal, human part of his mind would have a hunger to believe her. 

This breakthrough into Keith's psyche might have come too late. Allie started to feel the first effects of the total energy depletion. She had been given two chances to rest, to save herself. A third chance could only be provided under Xean care. And Allie knew for a fact that there were no vessels anywhere nearby. Death was indeed close, a fact that she was starting to accept. Mary would take care of her mother… yes, just like she asked. And Ka'len would continue Lisa's training… There was still hope without her presence! _My death will not doom humanity! _It was an ironically liberating thought. 

A slight constriction in her chest, breathing became more difficult. Allie could also feel her heart beat slowing. A last ditch effort was underway in her mind, as the upper and alien components of her consciousness battled the fatal fatigue. The shut down had begun. But so much still had to be done!

"My grand father was even worse then my dad." Keith said, forcing Allie to focus on him again. "He got my grandmother pregnant then just disappeared…"

_There was a reason! _Allie thought, _John was only carrying out an experiment… he didn't mean to…_ Allie gasped as the constriction tightened.

"What?" Keith had been staring at the ground since he last spoke, but now that he looked at Allie, he could clearly see her growing weakness. "What's wrong?"

Allie took several deep breaths, "I told you I wasn't playing…"

"What do you mean?"

"Listen!" Allie said in a compelling voice, surprising Keith, and shocking herself. "I have to tell you this. And you have to believe me."

Keith hesitated, but nodded. Curiosity had overcome his cold exterior. 

"You and I are not very different. I was born as a result of certain things that took place in 1947… you know what I'm talking about already." 

Keith nodded.

"You are a result of a very similar chain of events." Allie stopped as confusion swept over Keith's features. A mix of incredulity and downright hysterics dominated in the end, and he spoke through a tight smile: 

"Right… I thought you said this was no game?"

"I have no reason to play these 'games' with you!" Allie said, then sucked in a deep, labored breath. It felt like a heavy weight was pressing down on her chest, getting heavier with each passing second. "I am dying, and you deserve to know this… your grandfather, and my grandfather… are the same being. His name is John."

Even though her vision was starting to cloud, Allie could see that the doubts she had planted only minutes before had done their job. Keith was once again searching himself, grasping for anything that he could remember that would validate his own self-identity in the face of this new information.

"I know what this is," Keith growled low, "a **_big_** game! What do you take me for? Get up!"

"No!" Allie shook her head all that her exhausted and practically shut down muscles would allow. "Find it! Its there!"

"What the hell are you doing… you… no! You're just playing another mind game!"

"Look harder!"

The look of sincerity and pain on Allie's face shook Keith to his core. _This is no game… she's… I'm…_Keith's thoughts spiraled into an immovable knot, everything he had ever thought about himself, his father, even his grandfather had just been turned on end. His whole life felt like a lie. Like he was living in someone else's body, or that he had died and come back a zombie. He did look harder! And the deeper he went back into his memories, the clearer it all became. _I've known all along! And I refused to listen! _Allie spoke now in a voice barely above a whisper.

"Give this to my mother when they find you…" she held out a necklace with a small star pendant, "tell her that she did all she could, that I'm happy now." 

Keith took the necklace and pocketed it as he knelt beside her. "I'm sorry… I… understand... I was…"

"I know," Allie forced a tiny smile, "understanding is all that matters now."

"What can I do? Your not really going to die, are you?"

"Yes, I am. It is to late to stop it with anything on this planet."

"I don't believe that! I can do something…"

"Alliance…" Allie barely breathed the word. Keith leaned in close. "That is what my friends are here for, to help the human race. All we want is an alliance…"

"Alliance, for what?"

"To secure the future of the species." Allie gasped after the last word. The weight had increased tenfold.

"I'm sorry…"

"Don't apologize! Just… please… hold my hand… I'm scared."

* * *

Sorry, that's where it ends for this chapter. Tune in next time! (don'tcha just love MAJOR cliffhangers? I know I do!)


	27. chapter 27

A/N: I have the lingering feeling that I left something out of this… but I cant, for the life of me, find what it could be, so I guess its okay. Leme know if you see a problem or contradiction anywhere.

Oh, and a big shout out to Kevin M. Robinson! For making me think of some things that I would have otherwise forgot. Thanks dude!

Legacy: chapter 27

* * *

Haze. Nothing clear, only blurry flashes of light and color. Burst of meaningless noise. Lisa felt trapped in her own thoughts. Allie had been there, with her in the haze, but now… nothing.

"Allie!" Lisa cried out. She could not tell if she was standing or sitting, asleep or awake. It was a dream! This was all a bad dream!

"Where are you? Say something!" Lisa turned around and around. Or she thought she did. Up, down, left, right... everything felt the same. The oddest sensation Lisa had ever felt was this feeling of being everywhere and nowhere all at the same moment in time.

_Where am I?_ Lisa tried to make out a familiar shape in the haze, any object at all. She knew where she had been. With Charlie and the others in the helicopter, searching for Allie. So how did she get here? Where was here?

Was it Allie? Was she speaking to her in some strange, silent language? Was she hurt? Was she… 

Lisa spun on her heel. A sound! No… a voice! 

"Allie!?" Lisa's voice wavered between hope and fear. 

No reply.

"ALLIE!" Lisa cried again. This was not good. Black, formless nothingness settled in around her. Allie had been there! Right beside her only minutes ago… where had she gone?

A test, maybe? Was Allie continuing her training even at this most dangerous of times? 

Of course not! Allie was smarter then that!

Then why had she been there?

__

Where is here? Lisa stumbled over her own foot, falling to the ground, and confirming that she had been standing. The smooth, cold ground was the first thing she could define as real in this abyssal void. A strange mist hung in the air, she could not see it, but she could feel it in her lungs and feel the cooling droplets against her skin. The ground was something solid, tangible. Mist was mist but the ground formed a base to construct a new reality on top of.

Lisa focused her thoughts. Ten deep, slow breaths. She did not know how, or where she had learned the trick, but it worked. Allie's vague lessons could have some how intuitively taught her; or did she pull this from her own dormant alien knowledge? 

__

Cold. Lisa thoughts shifted, brought on by a shiver from her body. The air, if there was even air here, was very cold. She had a second thing to add to her reconstruction. First, smooth, hard ground, now, cold air. But Lisa also realized something else; her body was not linked to her thoughts, it responded slowly, if it responded at all.

Lisa commanded her arm to move. She could not see it, or even feel it! But she could still feel, in a broader sense. And hear, and speak, and taste, and smell.

There was no smell in the air to test with. No noise since Allie's presence had left. Nothing to taste… Lisa could only assume that she still possessed those senses. _More then an assumption!_ Lisa _knew_, in a way that only the possessor of such senses could know. No proof was required. 

But what else? Lisa knew from a light touch of her fingers on her thigh that she was able to move her arms and legs, but she could not feel the movements, or identify where the limbs were in relation to her body in this darkness.

After several failed attempts, Lisa managed to get her feet underneath her and slowly rose to a standing position. For the first time Lisa thought she could remember what it was like to be an infant. It took thought to stand! She had to manually compensate for movements. Adjusting her balance so she would not fall, a low level task usually handled by neurons in the spinal cord before even reaching the brain. But not anymore! 

__

Painkillers? Lisa could remember reading about such phenomenon being brought on by super strong painkillers. Some patients experienced a dulling of the nervous system that slowed or nullified muscle response. Lisa had been fascinated by the concept at the time. But this was terrifying! 

__

WALK! Damn it! Lisa was tempted to yell at her stubborn body, but she started moving eventually. 

Was she moving? Lisa looked straight ahead, she could not see or feel motion, but her legs were moving… _This is not real. It can't be real!_

__

"What is reality?"

Lisa mentally jumped as Allie's disembodied voice echoed from every direction.

"Allie! What…" 

The voice continued: _"Reality is what we see, what we hear… all that stuff. And all these things, or our perception of these things, are controlled by our…"_

It was a memory; Lisa was remembering the first 'lesson' Allie had taught her. "Our brain!" Lisa knew that it was memory, but she was compelled to respond anyway, "it's controlled by our brain!"

__

"Yes, the mind is the key to reality. What does a blind person see?"

Allie's memory voice seemed to be prompting Lisa. "Nothing!" she yelled. _I see nothing! Am I blind? _Lisa commanded her hand up with slightly too much force and slapped herself on the right cheek. Her target had been her eye, but Lisa was glad her disjointed body had bad aim. Lisa wanted to rub her throbbing cheek but she was afraid to move that hand again. 

__

Wait…Lisa's thoughts came at her with new speed, _the blind person sees her reality… but what does it mean?_

"Is this real?" Lisa lifted her head to yell into the supposed sky, making note of the fact that she could still move her neck muscles. "Allie, is the blackness real?" _of course, reality is in the eye of the beholder! I am the beholder…it still doesn't make any sense!_

Lisa had the distinct sensation of déjà vu standing in this black void. Why had these memories come to her now? Was this the blackness that Allie had brought over them in that first lesson? Was this all just some strange projected memory? _What is happening to me!_

As if in answer, a brief flash of light pierced the darkness. It was a picture, an image or frozen memory of that first lesson. The field in Texas! The image had flashed in only a nanosecond, but Lisa could pick it out easily. She _knew!_

Is it me? Am I doing this! Another flash caught the corner of her eye. Not even one heart beat later, a strong, almost painful tingling sensation flowed throughout Lisa's entire body and she started to become aware of the position of her arms and legs again. 

__

"Things are only as real as you want them to be."

Allie's memory voice echoed again. 

"But I don't want this to be real!" Lisa cried, "I want to be back with Charlie!"

__

"Things are only as real as you want them to be."

"What does it mean?" Lisa was almost reduced to tears. This was all so frightening… What could it mean, and why had Allie gone away from her?

__

"Things are only as real as you want them to be."

"I know!" Lisa screamed, "I know, I know, I know, I KNOW!"

__

"You know how to make it unreal."

"No! I don't!"

Lisa failed to notice a change in Allie's memory voice. No longer did it echo from all around. It was now anchored in a specific location.

__

"Then why did you say: 'I KNOW'?"

"Because I… I heard you…"

__

"But you do know."

"NO I DON'T!"

__

"You know and you are afraid to accept it. Your fear still controls you!"

Lisa spun; she had full control of her body back, but still felt dull. The voice had come from a direction behind her. "Allie? Is that you?" no reply came. Lisa stumbled in the direction of the voice, thinking that at any moment she would touch her daughter. Then they could go home and live happily again… but the further she walked into the blackness, the more that hope diminished.

__

"Control your fear!" the voice again, from directly behind Lisa. She turned again.

__

"The biggest obstacle to learning is the fear of the unknown." The voice was still behind Lisa 

"Where are you?"

__

"I am a creation of your subconscious. An interactive extension of information you already hold locked in your mind. I am my location."

"What? No… you're Allie!"

__

"No! I am you!"

Lisa's thoughts spiraled. _How is this even possible?_

"Because I am special." The voice answered.

"How?" Lisa's mouth hung open. Out of every question spinning in her head she could not think of one better.

__

"We are one in the same. I am you, and you are special."

"Special?"

__

"You know what makes you different!"

Yes, Lisa thought, _Alien genetics…_

"Precisely!" 

"You can read my thoughts?" Lisa asked, but immediately flushed with embarrassment. _Of course I can read my own thoughts!_

"You are catching on… good."

"What caused me to be able to talk to… me?" Lisa asked.

__

"Necessity."

"Of what?"

__

"Allie."

"I don't understand…"

__

"That is why you can talk to me. This is the completion of the first stage of your training."

"How do I know this?"

__

"You have always known this! It is a part of you!"

Lisa crouched to the ground, hugging her knees. _This is not real, I'm going insane!_

"To the contrary, you have never been more sane."

"Then why didn't Allie tell me about this… about you-- me?"

__

"Because this is something that you have to learn on your own. Any interference in this process would have made advancement impossible."

"Did Allie have to do this?"

__

"Yes."

"Why didn't she tell me? She was only a little kid."

__

"My daughter was never truly a little kid, she only looked the part!"

"I don't believe you!" Lisa covered her ears and screamed as loud as she could. Covering her ears would do nothing to stop the voice, but that didn't matter. It was something. In this horribly confusing mess, it was something! All Lisa wanted to do was run far away. But that would do nothing. She wanted all this to go away! _How can I control my fear!_

The inner voice was oddly silent. 

"What do I do!" Lisa demanded, "How can I control fear?"

Silence.

"It's not possible! You can't control something like that!" Lisa curled up on the floor, she wanted to disappear. She wanted to cry! To let everything come rushing out, but something stopped it. _Why!_

"Knowledge creates fear." The inner voice soothed, still speaking in Allie's remembered voice.

"What?" 

Silence!

Lisa could feel a seething rage building within her. She spoke with even, spaced words, afraid that she would lose her control, what little she had left, at any moment: "my daughter… our daughter is out there, somewhere, and she is hurting. Help me…"

__

"Interference will make advancement impossible, you must find your own answer." 

"But you have already interfered!" Lisa yelled out, furious. "Talking to… me is interfering!"

__

"Is it?"

Lisa held back her anger, realizing that she was only angry with herself. _Am I really such a bitch?_ No answer came from the inner voice, a bad sign. Lisa was afraid to know the answer, to hear it in her own thoughts. 

Memories, thousands of pictures and sounds and smells swarmed Lisa's thoughts, but nothing helped clear the haze. A huge knot was the only result. Everything was so twisted and mangled, meanings mixed, names and places crisscrossed. Lisa started to sense the energy being dissipated from her brain. The simultaneous firings of synapses, the build up of body chemicals, it was all suddenly visible to her senses for the first time.

Lisa sat up straight. New meanings flooded into her mind, replacing old misconceptions. The haze was clearing!

"Is this it?" Lisa asked, fully knowing that the inner voice had been permanently silenced. The energy she felt was the melding of both parts of her mind, subconscious to conscious and visa-versa. The inner voice was now a part of her conscious thoughts.

__

Knowledge creates fear… if I ignore what I know as the bounds of human possibility, then I have defeated knowledge, and defeated fear. Of course! Knowledge creates fear, Willpower controls Knowledge… The coffee mug… I've had it within me all along!

Lisa needed no conformation. She _Knew._ Not the same as knowing that the answer to question 25 is B, or that the Sun will always rise from the East. This was a deeper knowledge, a base extending from the most primitive core of her being outward. A knowledge both comforting and terrifying at the same time.

__

I am the only one in control of my Will. I am the only one responsible!

"I WILL help Allie!"

Instantly, as soon as Lisa had uttered those four words, the blackness dissolved and she opened her eyes to a blurry view of army vehicles. Lisa sat up rigidly, shocking Charlie and the little boy that had come with Mary, who still stood close by.

"Lisa?" Charlie's voice carried a tone of questioning excitement that Lisa had only heard from him once before. Urgency. Lisa soon saw the reason for this excitement hanging over the road in all its alien brilliance. And she knew what had to be done.

She stood, her eyes locked forward on a spot in the road directly beneath the center of the hovering saucer. Lisa was being guided by a new part of her being. Something that had lain dormant for her entire life had awakened. She did not know any terms to define it, but she no longer needed to define her actions. All that mattered was that it was there, a whole new awareness. 

__

Connections… Lisa's eyes scanned the crowd of people who all stared at the saucer overhead. They found it so interesting… to Lisa it was merely a conveyance, a non-conventional way to help her daughter, and she knew who was on board. Not for a fact, it was a feeling, a sensation deep in her chest. _My grandfather… and Ka'len, and someone else_ Lisa was quickly able to identify the passengers. She continued scanning the crowd even when a blinding bolt of energy erupted down from the center of the craft, depositing Ka'len and that someone else on the road. _I can feel all of them…and see the connections. Is this what Allie feels like all the time?_

Lisa held a new respect for the marvel that was her daughter. She did not know how to define what she felt, but it appeared to her as expanding waves, or pulses of some form of energy eminating from every body. The waves were not visible in a conventional way, Lisa knew that some new sense was reveling all this to her. She continued to probe into the crowd with her new senses as a trend started to show itself to her. _Every waveform is different… signals?_

Was this what John had spoken of five years ago when Allie had first turned off her and Charlie's "signals". Lisa had failed to ask Allie because, well, the excitement of having her daughter back had made such silly little questions seem pointless. But now that she could see and feel some of what Allie must experience on a daily basis, questions were multiplying upon questions.

Turning her attention away from the awestruck army personnel, Lisa laid eyes on Ka'len and the boy who approached. And she noticed something new. The boy, whom she now identified as Tyler, shared the same type of 'signal' as the other humans. Ka'len's signal was tame in comparison, and it was smooth. The human signals pulsated with rawness, an untamed energy. Quickly, before Ka'len and the boy reached her, Lisa turned and studied Charlie; he possessed the same wild signal. Lisa could see Mary and someone with a camera standing to her left, both showing that same signal. But the little boy. Jamie, was his name? His signal, while still raw, showed some of the more tamed traits that Ka'len displayed.

__

What can it mean? Lisa questioned as she turned back, coming face to face with Ka'len. 

At least, it looked like same girl. There was something new though. Something in those powder blue eyes that betrayed her human shell. They lacked the life that Lisa observed in Tyler's. Even though his eyes displayed a distant quality, Ka'len must have done something to him like Allie had done to Charlie and herself. 

Ka'len studied Lisa intensely for several seconds before coming to her conclusion: "you have awakened." She stated, there was no need to question.

Lisa nodded. Ka'len could sense the fevered pace of Lisa's thoughts as the inferno of discovery raged on within her. But there was also the unsettling sensation that Lisa could sense the confused and struggling emotions within her. A feeling Ka'len only got when Allie looked at her. _Lisa is as powerful as Allie! _Ka'len's thoughts registered surprise and alarm as much as excitement. John, no doubt had picked that up, but he did not respond in any way, cognitive or emotionally.

"I…" Lisa spoke with a dry mouth, "I know how to find Allie, I can find Allie." 

Ka'len gave a very small nod forward then shot her eyes up at Charlie as he approached from behind Lisa. _Good,_ Ka'len thought, Charlie was more concerned with Lisa then in the _Varin _overhead. For some reason…He stared at her as if he could not believe what he was seeing.

Lisa saw Ka'len's eye movement but she had already sensed Charlie's approach. Jamie also moved closer, but fear was present in him; he was not quite sure what to think. Lisa wondered how he had gotten with Mary in the first place, and why was his signal so much more uniform then everyone else's? Ka'len had noticed the signal anomaly as well, Lisa saw, by the way she was now staring at the boy. _That's not helping his confidence any…_

Ka'len shifted her gaze back to Lisa as if she had heard Lisa's thoughts. A coincidence… or something more? Allie had assured her that thoughts could only be probed under special circumstances. Was this one of those circumstances? Lisa wondered, and: _can I do it too?_

"Not yet." Ka'len spoke.

_She is probing my thoughts!_

"Yes," 

Lisa noted a very new, very creepy quality in Ka'len's voice, but she could not tell what it meant. So many questions! Everything was happening so fast, and every second they stood here was one less second they could be helping Allie.

Something flashed behind Lisa's eyes, "Charlie." She called, causing him to jump. "We need your help." 

Charlie nodded, never taking his eyes off of Lisa for a second. _Who is she? _The way she stood, the tone of her voice, the expression on her face… she was like a whole different person. 

Charlie managed to compose a simple question: "what happened?"

He couldn't tell if Lisa didn't hear, or if she just didn't care to answer. Lisa's eyes were locked with Ka'len's in what could only be described as a silent conversation. Charlie continued to watch for what seemed to him like several minutes. Jamie took a step toward Tyler within Charlie's field of vision, showing him that it had truly only been several seconds.

"I understand." Lisa spoke. It took Charlie several seconds more to register that she had directed the words at him.

"Understand what?" 

Lisa turned toward him, extended a hand in a gesture for him to join her, and said: "everything… and its not as scary as I thought it would be."

Unknown to herself, Mary slowly inched closer to the focal point of everyone's attention. She was so caught up in the moment, and so drawn to the girl, Ka'len, that her body had taken over and was determined to put her in the middle of this, whatever _this_ was.

Mary's unconscious movements did not escape the observant eyes of a journalist, however, and sensing the opportunity to get closer to this story, Christina followed. Some fear still lingered, but the initial shock of all she had just seen was long gone, replaced by excitement and curiosity. 

Christina could sense a very deep story here. Alien life was one thing… well, a huge thing, but putting a human face on this could lead to a Pulitzer! Yes, Christina thought it odd for such a selfish and silly thought to cross her thoughts now, of all times, but recognition had been her driving goal all along. And now this! It was a dream come true.

One notable absence nagged in the corner of Christina's mind. 

__

Tony! She turned to find him and his camera still firmly focused on the hovering saucer. Heart pounding with excitement and from the energy in the air, Christina rushed back, grabbed Tony by the arm, and pulled him toward Mary and the others, despite his momentary protest.

"Miss Crawford," Ka'len turned her attention to Mary as she approached. "I require a two way communications… a 'radio'."

Mary pulled the radio Keith had given her from her pocket almost as soon as the girl finished speaking and preceded to cautiously close the rest of the distance between them. 

Ka'len gestured to Lisa when Mary offered the radio, "I require it for Lisa. So that we may communicate directly."

"Why?" Mary and Charlie asked in an eerie unison that obviously did not sit well with Charlie, he still did not trust the woman.

"Lisa, Charlie," Ka'len gave a quick glance to Jamie and Tyler, "and these will conclude the search from the Varin, I will remain here." 

Mary could see the girls eyes fall on the reporter and her camera man, then Ka'len spoke again: "that is a camera? Good, I have been instructed in the proper way to handle this announcement." She looked back to Mary, "you will assist me in the declaration." 

"Declaration?" Mary asked, but she thought she already had a good idea of what Ka'len meant. What else could an alien declare on live TV? Mary just hoped Ka'len would not say something like: 'take me to your leader'. That would just be embarrassing… 

"Why are you staying?" Lisa asked

"And why do I have to go?" Jamie demanded. Tyler just stood there, still dazed from what ever he had seen.

"You all share a connection with Allie," Ka'len turned to Jamie, "and she has instructed _you_ in some way… Combined, you will feed the sensors with enough power to locate Allie's weak signal."

Lisa nodded, several answers to unasked questions had just been provided. And for the first time, Lisa grasped the concept Allie had attempted to explain in that first lesson. She could sense the thread that connected them all to Allie. The most surprising thing was the strength of Tyler's connection to Allie. It was just as strong as Charlie's, and even her own. 

* * *


	28. chapter 28

Legacy: chapter 28

* * *

Painful memories haunted Keith as he walked through the thick forest vegetation. He had left the trail, and Allie's near lifeless body behind only ten minutes ago, but the events of the evening seemed like they had happened years ago.

The look in her eyes… the obvious pain and fear in her voice! Keith had watched many innocent, and not so innocent people die and never felt the slightest stirring of emotion in his cold heart. But Allie had torn that cold heart out and showed it to him, letting him see his cruelty for the first time. 

__

I'm a horrible monster!

Not just the idea of her death being his fault. No, there was much more. Allie was only the latest in a long line, and Keith still had one more to go.

So many terrible things! The only memories Keith could dig up all involved pain, either personal or inflicted on others. Hatred had been his driving force through out most of his life, from his days with the NYPD, to the CIA, and finally into the NSA's operation. 

Keith could still remember the day clearly, the moment when he identified that deep, churning hunger for power that burned within him. 

It was only supposed to be a small internal affaires matter. Simple revenge. Keith had been suspended on a trumped up charge of ticket extortion, soliciting cash payments in return for forgetting about whatever traffic infringement had been committed. His supervisor in the lower east end Manhattan precinct had secrets, too. So Keith blew the whistle. How was he supposed to know that his one good deed would expose one of the biggest cases of police corruption the United States had ever seen? 

The brass of the entire department was involved, all the way up to the chief, and some suspected the mayor was even in on the drug and weapons smuggling ring. It was all being operated right out of New York harbor, under the noses of a lot of honest patrol officers whose objections were simply ignored and suppressed.

Keith chuckled as he remembered the firestorm of media attention, every report proclaiming him a hero. He had learned two valuable lessons from this. One was: doing the right thing can bring a great reward. Shortly after the investigation had broken, Keith was handed a personal invitation to a field position with the CIA. Someone upstairs at the agency had apparently overlooked the fact that what he had done was no heroic or brilliant act, but a complete accident. Dumb luck. 

Of course, Keith took the offered job with no hesitation. Quickly he remembered the second lesson: never let anyone know your secrets. That was how his old supervisor had inadvertently toppled an otherwise perfect crime. He got careless. 

Keith wanted power; he wanted to be just like the men whose lives he had just ruined. And he was determined not to make their mistakes. No one could ever get close enough to him to learn any secrets. Keith had had fleeting relationships with women, lowly bar sluts, but he never opened up enough to let anyone love him, or give love to anyone else.

Love was a foreign emotion, not anywhere nearly as useful as the law. Not that Keith ever really wanted to do the right thing. That was far from the case. But the power of even the most simplistic laws can make an honest man turn evil. Laws can be bent and twisted; there is a law to get just about anything one in the right position wanted. And Keith somehow always managed to get himself in that position. 

He was recognized within the agency for this uncanny ability to break rules without bringing any consequences on himself. And thus it was that he moved up quickly. Until a special assignment sent him on an investigation of a shady operation in the NSA's upper ranks. Who says government agencies work together or otherwise like each other? 

Keith's handlers managed to get him in under a cover as an analyst, named Eric Trent, who specialized in electronic surveillance. He spent three months under the name, and grew to like the life. Staring at a flickering monitor all day was not enjoyable, but the others who worked in this place… Keith could see a power, a terrible and absolute power in some of them. He wanted to be one of them! The men in the CIA were powerful, but these men! These were the type of men who controlled the course of history in dark, smoke filled rooms. Casually deciding what third world dictator should be assassinated next, over a shot of brandy and a Cuban cigar. 

Keith acted. He knew how crazy it was to even attempt to blackmail people as powerful as these. But he did it. When the dark men were presented with the information that Keith had collected and were informed of the other existing copies and how simple it would be for him to get those copies to the people that had placed him on this assignment. Those men, the most powerful men in the country and possibly on the face of the earth, easily rolled over. Keith had impressed them highly with the display. Shown them just how capable and determined he was. And maybe even scared them a little with the thought that other men as ruthless and calculating as themselves existed. 

Keith was quickly handed the "project" that no one else wanted. An apparent FBI screw up involving aliens and some pretty wild reports. 

_If I would have only stayed as Eric Trent!_ Keith pounded his fist against a tree as he came to a stop, _none of this would have happened. None of it!_

Yes, everything would have been better. Keith learned more about himself in the past 20 minutes then he ever dreamed was possible. And it filled him with a odd mix of terror, rage, and pure hatred for his bastard of a father. But even more anger was directed toward his _grandfather._

What right! By what right do you gray bastards wreck lives? Keith turned his gaze toward the sky and vented his rage: "Why did I have to be one of your fucking play things! Why…"

Keith wanted to forget everything that Allie had told him, but he could not. He knew it was all true. In some strange way he felt that he had always known. Even when he did not know why, he had still known that he was not quite the same as every other person on the street. Something had always been 'off'.

In reality, nothing had changed. All Keith had to do is turn around, collect his half-dead lab-rat and run like hell to the drop sight. Collect the money for delivering Allie's body and jump on the next plane back to D.C., he could forget everything, it would be easy… Easy…

Things could never go back, though. Once a man gains knowledge such as Keith had gained, nothing could ever be the same again. He _could_ act, just put on a show for his superiors. But he would still know he was living a lie.

_My whole life, I thought all I wanted was power… all I really wanted was a father's approval… I wanted a goddamned father! _

"But you sons of bitches wouldn't let me have one!" Keith yelled into the sky again.

Power was merely a surrogate, a comfort. Keith had felt this, but thought it nothing more then his unruly emotions trying to sneak out from behind the high stone wall he had blocked them behind to enable him to do the things he had to do. He saw now that power had only ever been a replacement for the confidence that he lacked as a child. His own personal way to get back at a world that hated him. 

But now, Allie had completely torn that wall of hard stone down, unveiling Keith's weaknesses for all the world to see. At least that's how he felt. 

_She could see through me…she learned secrets that even I didn't know! _

Secrets are the key, after all. No one had ever known anything about him! It hurt to keep it in but Keith knew that Secrets are the key to power. _Never show your weaknesses!_ Secrets are a weakness… secrets can be used by a resourceful enemy.

Keith knew from experience just how powerful a deep, dark secret could be to a powerful man. Little things from such a mans past, small, youthful indiscretions, could be used to end careers or secure funds through blackmail. 

Keith stumbled into a clearing in the thick forest. This had not been his destination, but a downed log in the middle of the clearing seemed to call out to him. A hard object dug into Keith's leg as he sat. His gun. He pulled it out and held it limply as he sat on the log.

_So heavy…_ Keith held the small, black lump of death in his lap. Never before had he noticed just what the black of the frame meant, although it had been blatantly obvious for as long as he could remember. _The steel incarnation of the grim reaper. With a scythe of hot lead._

This very weapon had ended so many lives; Keith could feel the angry ghost of every one of them seething within the cold steel frame. They had every right to hate him. Keith hated himself for all that he had done! But there was still one more…

Keith placed the gun on the log beside him and fished around in a pants pocket, pulling out a single cigarette and a lighter. Then probed into his other pocket to ensure that he had left Allie's necklace with her, along with his cell phone, turned on to allow Mary to track it, and his coat. Yes, the necklace was safely with the girl. As Keith wanted it. 

Smoking was only a occasional thing for Keith, after a big score or bust, and in the case of this lone cancer stick, a celebration for his newfound wealth after turning in Allie's body. But that would not happen today, or ever. 

Keith fought the urge to cough as the first inhalation of smoke hit his lungs. _How could anyone get addicted to this? _He wondered. Not that it mattered anyway. _To each his own…_ Keith leaned forward in to a stooped position that should be uncomfortable, and he could remember (one of his few remaining early memories) his mother telling him not to sit like that. That was before his dad had run off and his mother had become a dirty alcoholic.

Keith chuckled quietly. He realized that he had forgotten, actually forgotten, his fathers name! 

_A testament to his remembrance! _Keith laughed aloud. _Rest In Obscurity, father! What ever the hell your name was… RIO… _

Keith's mood sobered. 'RIO' was as good an epitaph for himself as it was for his father. Every accomplishment in his entire life had either been meaningless dribble, or so secret that those over him had already forced themselves to 'forget' who had carried the various tasks to completion. 

_My life is Obscurity! _Keith managed a grin, _I am my father's son then… he died at about my age. _Keith looked to the pistol beside him; _I guess I'll follow in his footsteps in that regard as well._

I wish… I would have never joined the Force in the first place! After all, what did it lead to? A life of shadows and murder in the name of national security. A laughable concept in the first place! _If the People only realized how monstrous and overreaching their government has become! If they could only see how many "distasteful" acts are carried out by good old "Uncle Sam" on a daily basis!_

Keith felt his stomach turn as the realization hit him full force. Every time he had pulled that trigger, he knew that he was ending a life, a life that "had" to be extinguished to "protect" the People. A part of him had always known how evil what he was doing really was, but they were just people, the planet is overpopulated as it is… now he could feel something new, or old, Keith honestly could not remember feeling this before:

Empathy.

How many of them had had a family? How many of them had friends, a loving wife, or halfway decent parents who were also hurt when he had pulled that damned trigger… how many children had to grow up without a fathers love? 

Keith could only imagine how these people felt, the pain they faced as they laid a loved one whose life had been unjustly ended to rest. A pain multiplied just that much more for the families of the ones who "disappeared." Keith did not even want to fathom what it was like; always hoping that the loved one would be found, that daddy would come home. But inside, knowing that there really was no hope, that daddy was gone. No explanation, just gone!

_Never! I'll never go back to that life!_

There was only one escape. Thomas was a fool to think that running away would help him, all it did was sign his death warrant that much quicker. Even now, crews of agents, many more then the two bumbling idiots Keith had sent, were searching the man out. And there would be no prompting for an explanation _when_ they found him. Thomas J. Richards was a dead man. That much was guaranteed. Maybe not today, probably not tomorrow, but someday he would drop his guard, wherever he had gone, and it would be his last mistake. 

Once you are in 'the agency' this deep, Keith knew, the only way out is death. On duty, or as the victim of an interagency "cleanup". Keith smiled as he thought of the old man. _Good luck, TJ. In the end, you are a braver man then I. _

His smile still intact, Keith reached for the gun beside him and pulled the slide back, engaging a live round in the chamber. 

_If I were a stronger man, I would go back to Washington and fight the corruption… too bad… it's not my problem anyway…_

A cold wind blew through the trees, kicking up what few leaves there were that littered the ground in this evergreen forest. The evening was turning into a peaceful night, and cold. A beautiful, almost full moon rose to a spot where its light cast a silvery glow over Keith's forest clearing, picking up a slight reflection of a tear in his eye, and the glint of polished gunmetal as he brought the gun up to his temple.

A single shot echoed through the night. Then… silence. 

Keith sat on his log with the smoking muzzle of the gun pointed off past his forehead.

_I am a stronger man, and this is my problem! I thought I was just like you, dad. But I'm not. I know I can fix my mistakes! _

* * *


	29. chapter 29

Legacy: chapter 29

* * *

"Tony… you're brilliant!" Christina called forward to Tony who was in the drivers seat. "Brilliant! That is the only word…this footage will change the world!" _and win major awards!_ She sat in the back of the KDML mobile broadcast van as Tony maneuvered through the maze of army vehicles toward the spot the NSA woman had specified.

Over and over Christina scanned through one particularly compelling clip. The last footage they had been able to capture before the alien craft vanished behind the treetops. It was spellbinding. The lights; the colors; the beautiful, flowing organic structure of the 'flying saucer' itself. Christina had never felt this much excitement in her life!

"You think they will let us keep it?"

Tony's voice was filled with his usual skepticism. The Government… the "G" word was always a strong negative issue with him, ever since she was first assigned to work with him. Christina could only imagine what was going through his mind as he drove through this possibly illegal military gathering. 

"Why wouldn't they? That woman seemed cooperative enough."

Tony punctuated his paranoia with a snicker, and shook his head as if silently saying: 'keep dreaming!' 

The cameraman/producers pessimism failed to inspire confidence in Christina. She knew what his argument would be; it was almost as if she could hear his voice in her head saying: 'we're only two people, and there's only one tape. They could _make_ us _disappear.'…_

"You know," Tony spoke over his shoulder, "we _are_ only two people, and we only have _one_…"

"Okay, stop there…" Christina was prepared to hurl a bulky set of headphones at the back of Tony's head. "That was just weird."

"What'd I say?"

"Don't ask…" Christina brushed several stray strands of blond back over her ear and returned her focus to the preview monitor. The full impact of the event she had witnessed only moments ago had still not fully registered, but Christina was starting to feel a profound sense of importance. This footage… every time she watched even a piece of it… no words could describe the feeling.

Awards and recognition are one thing, but as the shock wore off and the reality of the meaning of this sighting sunk in, they started to look tiny and insignificant.

_Unquestionable proof of the existence of alien life!_

Christina had always scoffed at the reports, Tony had as well, rather out of character for a conspiracy nut, Christina had thought; but now… there was no way to scoff. Christina slowed the tape down to one frame per second and leaned in close, studying the barely visible, yet obviously intricate etchings on the outer skin of the craft. Nothing made by man could be so beautiful, or graceful. At least, nothing that Christina had ever seen.

"What's wrong?" Tony asked. Christina could see his green eyes looking down at her from the rearview mirror.

"Nothing… I'm thinking about what we just saw."

"I mean earlier, you seem a little tense." A slight tinge of humor was present in his voice. "Maybe you have some issues you need to work out?"

"Tony," Christina had the bulky headphones back in her hand, and held them so he could see them in the mirror, "If you start with that again, I swear I will beat you with these." A small smile drew the corners of her lips tight even though she fought it.

"Any day, lady… even though you'd kick my ass…" 

"I'm serious Tony. Do you even realize what we have just seen? The meaning…"

"It could've been anything," Tony's voice was skeptical, but just barely so, "maybe some new Air Force test… That would explain how the army knew how to be out here blockin' traffic."

Christina rolled her eyes, "that was really weak."

"It was a stretch…."

"I think it was alien, just like that woman said."

Tony was silent for a long time, then: "yeah… that actually makes the most sense… but what about those kidnappings? How do they figure into all this?"

"That woman, Mary, said they were 'bait'… whatever that means."

"Yeah…" Tony laughed, "I'll tell you what it means… d.i.s.t.r.a.c.t.i.o.n… they wanted to try and divert our attention from the real story."

"Then why are we here, Tony?" Christina demanded. Tony's little spell-out trick was supposed to drive his point home, but it always just stirred more argument from Christina.

"Mark my words, my friend. They will try something…" Tony craned his neck and turned, taking one hand of the wheel and reaching back to point at a small metal box. "Take one of those busted tapes out and stick it in my bag… I'll swap tapes on em if they try to bully us."

Christina sighed. For all of Tony's paranoia… it _was_ good to be prepared. Naive was never a term used to describe her, and Christina was not about to let the wonder she had just witnessed pull the wool over her eyes. 

"This looks like the place." Tony said as the brakes squealed slightly.

The van rolled to a gentle stop. The two black helicopters that Christina had noticed only briefly before could be seen out the front window of the van, as well as the NSA woman, Crawford, and that strange kid that had come out of the alien ship. Christina had some special questions for that one; something told her it would not be easy to get the answers though.

"There's been a change of plans." The Crawford woman yelled over the noise of the helicopter's engines as Christina exited from the side door. Tony, of course, would take several minutes to gather his gear and get the live transmitter online, as Crawford had requested, so Christina took the opportunity to ask some personal questions off-camera. She walked toward them.

"What's changed?" she asked, drawing nearer.

"The trucks finally made it," Mary Crawford pointed to the second helicopter, and a small tank truck beside it.

"So?" Christina closed the rest of the distance; an odd static electric charge seemed to build in the air for the last few steps.

"We're going to follow them." 

"Them?" Christina didn't like to sound lost, but she had no choice.

"That craft you saw…" Mary looked past Christina toward the news van and Tony, busily tinkering with something, "what is he doing? We need to go." As Mary spoke, a second fuel truck pulled up on the opposite side of the helicopter. Christina noticed the rotor blades whirling over her head for the first time and ducked instinctively, she had always had a fear associated with spinning blades of any sort.

"Tell him to just bring the camera, we don't need the live broadcast right now."

The strange girl seemed to have had her fill of listening to the conversation. Christina watched her turn, and in a single fluid motion, walk to the cockpit of the aircraft and seat herself. The grace and singleness of the movement distracted Christina briefly. 

"What…?" 

"We'll be waiting in the chopper." Mary turned and made her way to the waiting machine, joining the strange girl, and leaving a stunned Christina standing in a stooped position under the spinning blades. 

* * *

Keith fought off branches as he struggled to trace back his path to the place where Allie lie. The branches grasped for him like the fingers of a thousand damned souls, all desperately struggling to drag him down into the depths of hell with them. Keith fought them off anyway. They could have his soul! Right after he fixed his latest atrocity, his last atrocity.

Lights. Keith could see something in the sky, far off in the distance. Lights, many lights, some aimed at the ground. 

_Searching from the air? _

A flare gun would be wonderful! Too bad the only gun Keith had on him was as good as lost. No telling where it landed after the power he had put into that throw. 

That was the first thing Keith had ever done, as far back as he could remember, that actually, truly, felt good. A massive weight had followed that hunk of steel out into the underbrush. 

What really felt good was the concern Keith felt for Allie. Yes, concern! Yet another of the emotions Keith believed himself forever removed from. 

Maybe… just maybe, there was still time for him. Maybe his soul was not damned to hell. Maybe redemption, and grace could still come to him. Keith remembered, it was a very vague and fuzzy memory, but he did remember his mother taking him to church when he was very young. All the people there seemed so happy, all the time. 

It was not until much later, when he was in his late teens, that he had realized that most of the goodness and joy was an act. When in Rome, do as the Romans do… But even the slightest possibility of feeling that type of happiness and love seemed very appealing all the sudden…

_Distractions!_ Keith shook his head. Warm and fuzzy diversions were not what he needed at all. He knew he had done wrong. Very wrong, very evil, and very hideous things. But he could still fix this last one. _If I can find my way back!_

The forest seemed to be growing darker by the second, and the moon with its silverish light did very little but provide the occasional pool of light in the black sea of trees and underbrush.

Throwing the gun away might have been a bad idea. Keith was not totally sure, but this area should be host to a number of wild predators, Bears mainly. Yes… the gun would be very handy if an angry denizen of the forest was to make its presence known.

And Allie lay there, alone and unconscious… Keith felt his stomach twist into several knots. 

__

The mindset that had allowed him to carry out so many evil deeds was completely gone. He could not even rationalize what had possessed him to leave the girl alone after she had blacked out. She said she was dieing… was that it? Did he really not want to see it? Even while still in that old mindset of cold and evil?

Lost in thought, Keith got a foot caught under a root in the animal trail he was following and fell, face coming to within an inch of the mud. The moonlight only just barely reached the ground in this place, but it was enough to highlight the edge of a form pressed into the mud several inches ahead. 

A footprint! Keith pushed himself up and studied it. It was a fairly large shoe, and heading in exactly the opposite direction. Another was several inches back from the first, and another before that… they were Keith's, he knew for a fact from the shape of the treads. And he also knew now that he was very close to Allie. He had left this trail very soon after leaving Allie.

More branches, more vines, all reached form him as he forced his way down the narrow path. Then, in one of life's strange, unexplainable; but infinitely helpful accidents, he emerged from behind an especially thick clump of weed-shrubs and almost fell on top of Allie. 

She was still lying in the same exact position he had left her in. even her hair seemed unaffected by any errant breezes. Keith felt a stirring in his heart, more of a tightening, really, as he knelt down beside her and cautiously, shakily, extended two fingers and placed them against her neck… a pulse!

Keith exhaled in relief and sat back. He didn't mean to sit, it just happened. The stress of wondering if she was dead or alive had been alleviated. She was alive… but just barely. 

Again, Keith could see the aircraft; whatever the hell kind of helicopter it was, off in the distance through the trees. So many lights! Keith knew he had never seen any helicopter with so many bright searchlights. 

It was moving away… if they didn't help Allie soon she might still die… Keith knew she would. She was not exaggerating when she had told him that. He knew he had to get her to them as soon as possible.

With no further thought, Keith pivoted back to his feet beside Allie. He placed one arm, ever so gently, under her back, right below the neck and the other under her legs, then he stood, bringing her up with him. She was much lighter then he had expected.

Turning, Keith saw the direction they had come from. It was distinctly different from the untouched trail… first of all, there were two sets of footprints in the mud, highlighted by the moon's light. 

The car was at the end of this trail. Keith started walking, taking special care not to jar the girl too much. Something told him that if she woke up, if she could even wake up in this state, that it would zap all she had left and it would kill her on the spot. 

This would be a long walk… but Keith knew he could do it. He _had_ to do it! He owed Allie that much, at least.

* * *

Mary's attention shifted from the activity of the reporter and her cameraman outside as they stumbled to gather equipment, and the alien girl in the pilots seat. So many questions! Too many… Mary opened her mouth to attempt to ask yet another, but again, she closed it without saying a word. The problem was not about what to ask… it was more about where to start.

Ka'len knew about her situation, Mary had caught the girl eyeing her several times. It seemed that she was just as curious, but for different reasons, obviously. Paralysis was the only way to describe it good. Mary knew what they were here for: to help Allie, and it made all those questions seem unimportant. But the inbreed urge to learn, the scientist in her, demanded those questions answered now, and Mary found it harder to refuse that urge by the moment. 

In fact, Mary had had enough of the torment of this close of proximity to the alien girl. She had to ask something! If not for answers, then just to break this awkward silence. 

"How—how do you just _know _how to fly this?" it was a dumb opener, and Mary knew it, but a question is a question is a question. By this point, the import of the question mattered little.

"Simple balance." Came Ka'len's monotonous reply as she stared blankly out the front window.

Mary waited several silent seconds before prompting again: "that really doesn't help me understand…"

"I have operated many Varin, this machine is primitive in comparison… I simply balance the variables, resulting in flight."

"Varin?" Mary knew now that learning anything from this girl would take much prompting.

"The small vessel which deposited me was a Varin… they are a standard launch." 

"A utility ship?"

"That is a fair definition." 

"Interesting…"

The awkward silence fell over them again, punctuated only by the loud click of the men outside disengaging the fuel hose from the fuselage. Mary knew her line of questioning had been a dead end… but she knew absolutely nothing about them, really. 

Of course, she knew all about what she, and Chet, had discovered, the now meaningless revelations of the signals and the importance of the Golden Mean in _their_ science… but beyond that… she knew nothing, and it was starting to piss her off!

"How did you do it?" Mary asked in a very disjointed manner.

Ka'len's face remained steady for a moment, then she turned with a slightly puzzled expression and asked: "have I done something?"

"No… how did you, your race, do it… survive all the pitfalls in the evolutionary process and advance as far as you have."

"I do not know…" Ka'len replied, truthfully, but Mary was unconvinced.

"There must have been some point in your races past that was like a turning point… maybe your… people, fought in a great war… and then they realized, all at once, that there was no point…"

"I do not know," Ka'len repeated herself. "My training is not complete, I do not know the ancient history of my race good enough to give you the answer you require."

"Wait…" Mary was caught off guard by that one, "what do you mean: your 'training'?"

"We, too, have institutions of learning. I have not yet 'graduated', as you say it."

__

Incredible! "So, what… your like an alien teenager?"

"Measured in your years, I am approximately eleven…" Ka'len cut off her explanation as Christina and Tony approached. But Mary was so caught up that she didn't even notice when the two newcomers climbed in and seated themselves, rather uncomfortably. Not just that the seats were uncomfortable, the whole situation was tense and uncomfortable.

"So… are you a kid… or what?" Mary continued. The question drew puzzled looks from Christina and Tony both, who still did not even know Ka'len's name was Ka'len, much less that they were seated only a few feet away from an alien being from another galaxy. 

"Yes… I will explain in detail, but not at this time." Ka'len reached for the collective, a move which caused some unrest in the two news persons as they realized for the first time that there was no pilot besides Ka'len, who projected the appearance of a fourteen year old human… a kid. Ka'len quickly froze when something hit the cockpit door to her right. Major Pierce swung the door open and quickly, breathlessly, climbed into the copilots seat, slamming the flimsy plastic bubble window/door beside him.

"So good of you to join us… at the last possible moment." Mary said, half seriously even though it came out like sarcasm.

Brian chuckled briefly, gestured to Ka'len: "I feel safer in the hands of a seasoned pro." It was after turning back to glance at Mary that Brian noticed the other two passengers, and his mood sobered. He turned back to Ka'len: "ready?"

A simple nod was all she gave in reply before reaching for the controls again. The idea of flying this machine by thought alone had crossed her mind, but, for the benefit of the human passengers, she kept her hands on the stick.

Swiftly, but still fluidly, she pulled up hard on the collective, causing the tail of the aircraft to spin around slightly as the skids scraped once, twice… then smooth nothing as the chopper rocketed skyward. Again, in one fluid motion, Ka'len let the collective lever down as she pushed the yoke all the way forward, pitching the nose of the chopper so steeply that the road, and even the fuel truck that had just serviced the machine was visible straight ahead.

A shallow dive followed. Ka'len watched the trees along the road getting precariously close, gauging just the right time to apply more lift. Now! The sensation of falling was replaced all most immediately with the weight of at least two times the pull of gravity as the helicopter pulled out along its new course, clipping the treetops. 

The faint hint of a smile crept across Ka'len's face. For all the primitive avionics and instrumentation, this thing was a blast to fly! Varin and all the other Xean craft, with their gravity neutralizing engines, take all the exhilaration out of flight, and the almost living, computer-like 'brain' make even marginally dangerous stunts like that one almost impossible.

It was only after that initial thrill had passed that Ka'len thought to look to her passengers… her white-as-snow, frozen in fear, and utterly airsick passengers. 

* * *


	30. chapter 30

Legacy: chapter 30

* * *

Disturbances of the temporal lobe, blurry vision, weightlessness, that warm feeling of security; everything Lisa could remember from her abductions was still a part of the crafts interior. She could see all the same structures in the single round room. All those memories were with her now, but they were distinctly separate. Her thoughts were focused; her vision crystal clear. There was a definite gravity, effecting both her body, and mood. That cherished warm security that had made her look forward to the abductions was gone, replaced by the cold harshness of reality.

Lisa could see the same sentiment in Charlie's eyes; he kneeled on the crafts gently outward sloping floor with the rest of them, directly opposite her. Relief was the substance of Charlie's thoughts, though. Lisa knew this 'room' held some painful and frightening memories for him, and he was handling this quite well considering. 

He had said several times that he fought them, kicking and biting as they took him right through the window of his home in Madison. Charlie had given Lisa detailed accounts of the ordeals, right down to his repeated, but utterly ineffective declaration: "no, you are not gonna take me!" But now… he sat calmly in the inner belly of the very craft, or at least one of the same type, that had served as his torture chamber all those times, and his face… even his wild signal, was totally calm and unthreatened. 

The two boys fared about the same. Tyler seemed determined, even if he didn't know why he felt that way, and Jamie was totally engrossed in the interior structure of the craft, not to mention John's short, gray form. 

Lisa saw John for who he was the moment her eyes had come into contact with his. She thought it was a deep family bond at first; no single thing on his slick-skinned gray body held any recognition value for her… she had only seen him that way once before, and even then it was only briefly. Soon, though, it was clear that Charlie and the boys expressed no fear either; curiosity from the small one; but no fear or confusion at all from any of them. Meaning that they must feel the familiarity too. 

_No screens this time…_ Lisa's eyes wandered around at the gleaming interior, and she realized what separated the _Now_ from her abduction memories. Highly polished metal, or something along those lines, rose up from the outer rim of the room in great arches, joining into a small downward facing point in the center. The large, distinctive dome occupied the middle of the floor. Five indentions, or 'seats', were cut into the dome; John occupied the center 'seat'. And all around the outer ring that separated the ceiling from the floor shone a brilliant row of intense white lights. The polished, reflectiveness of the rest of the interior created a room with no shadows at all. It was truly beautiful, and very simple, once the reality of being onboard an alien craft wore off. No screens were up. Nothing blurred her vision or blocked the true nature of this space from any of them.

John had made a comment when they had first 'beamed' aboard, that: "we hide nothing now, and never will we hide our truth from you again". At first, Lisa had not given the remark much thought; more important things were on the line; but now, while John recalibrated some errant factor in the sensor that was supposed to pick up their pattern fluctuations as they thought of Allie, it made perfect sense. No screens… this, what they all could see around them now, was all really there. This was what Allie had seen that night, and had transferred to Charlie's and her minds through memories when she had first arrived a month ago. Lisa had not recognized the place then.

"Lisa?" Charlie's questioning voice shot through Lisa's thoughts like an arrow, "what's wrong?"

Jamie, Tyler, and Charlie all stared at her, but she just noticed them for the first time. "Wha… did I say something?"

"No," Charlie said, then ventured a quick glance at John, still busily working away at something, before turning back to Lisa, "you just seem… strange… did something happen."

Lisa watched Charlie speaking to her, and she could hear the words as they came from his mouth, but she could also predict them before he spoke. She had already gathered enough information from the intonation of his words and the look on his face to generate several possibilities of the end of his question before he even spoke the word 'strange'.

"Yes, Charlie. Something wonderful… and very confusing… but it makes sense at the same time."

Charlie said nothing, but the questioning look of concern on his face spoke volumes, and Lisa considered it a prompt for her to explain.

"Insight… I can see clearly. It's all so clear, Charlie. Every single thing that I ever doubted or held as a fact is stripped of all my preconceptions, I can see everything for what it is!" and Lisa also realized at that moment, that she now understood Allie perfectly, for the first time. 

Even as a child, Allie had been an enigma. The shared connection was about the only thing Lisa thought she really understood about her daughter, and even that was confusing as hell! 

_All the things she did, every choice, even from her early childhood, was driven by this insight! When she went with Crawford; the whole North Dakota mess. It was all part of a much larger plan! Even her choice to go with this man now is a part of that plan!_

Lisa had suspected, no, much more then suspected, she had _known_ that Allie was following some integral plan all along. Now, however, that knowledge took on a new meaning… Lisa could see the plan.

Images flooded her vision. Charlie and the others, the inside of the craft, everything in the reality of the ship was still visible through Lisa's eyes; these images shared, but did not obscure her vision. They came faster and faster. Like watching a translucent 35-millimeter filmstrip flicker across a screen behind her eyes. 

A strong electric charge built in the crafts atmosphere around them. Lisa could see Charlie, so serene and understanding, settling back into the position John had instructed them all to sit in. she could also see the organic-looking structure of the 'sensor' moving in toward the center of the group, and John getting very active over in his seat, hologram-like projections springing up all around him. 

Audio input followed the images. Sounds of a person exerting, struggling… and the sensation of being carried; Lisa felt a pressure below her neck and behind her knees. 

__

The Connection! Lisa felt a sudden surge of joy. It was the only possible explanation! She could not see through Allie's eyes now, but everything else was exactly the same. Not only had The Connection returned; this also meant that Allie was alive! Still alive!

The craft hummed beneath them with an extremely high frequency vibration. 

"You have succeeded." It was John's voice.

A very slight pressure built up in the pit of Lisa's stomach, as the craft started moving. Very fast! 

Allie would be okay soon.

Everything would be okay soon.

* * *

Ka'len pulled back hard on the cyclic. The Varin was still about 500 yards out, but she could sense a change in its engines that told her a course change was imminent. She would not venture a guess at its new direction, just the meaning of the course change: they had located Allie. Ka'len adjusted the controls enough to establish a somewhat steady hover and waited for John to make his move.

"What is it?" Mary leaned forward, the only one of the passengers who had worked up the nerve to undo her seatbelt harness. A respectable boldness, Ka'len thought. 

"The gravity nullifying engines have increased in power… the Varin is about to move."

Mary looked out the front window at the saucer in the distance; it looked exactly the same; back to Ka'len: "how can you tell?"

Ka'len turned her head just enough so that the side of her face was visible to Mary.

"Right… alien…"

Ka'len nodded. Mary was a smart one, but she was still just a little bit slow on the uptake. 

"You…" Christina spoke up but her voice wavered, she cleared her throat and tried again: "you keep saying 'alien'… but she looks like a normal kid…" the statement/question was directed at Mary so Ka'len kept her eyes fixed on Varin.

"She… they can, make us see things that aren't really there." Mary started to explain, "she only looks like a human because she is sending that image to our optic nerves."

"But back there on the road… all those people…" Christina's voice again. Ka'len tensed her hands up on the controls as the lights from the Varin flashed brighter for a split second.

"I don't know exactly how it works," Mary's voice, still trying to explain, "all I know is its an extremely potent energy. She could theoretically 'screen' many millions of people..."

Ka'len felt eyes on her; Mary and Christina both looked to her for conformation of Mary's last supposition. 

"It is possible… I believe the video that you have recorded should show my current form in the image…" Ka'len was distracted by Brian in the seat beside her. He simply pointed at the craft to direct her attention back. It had started spinning at an increased rate.

"A side-effect of gravity nullification on a small vessel," Ka'len explained, then turned slightly to address Mary again, "refasten your harness."

Mary stared out the front window as the saucer started to move, and immediately knew what Ka'len was about to do. She buckled the belts over her body just as the helicopter dropped and banked hard to the left. Tony's bag, which had been over his shoulder, flew past Mary's head and slammed against the bulletproof window of the side door. No attempt was made by any party to retrieve it. Tony was having enough trouble keeping the camera rolling and Mary was too gripped by the unusual sensation of this, almost acrobatic flying that Ka'len seemed to think was completely normal. 

Fear should have a very strong hold on her; at least Mary thought it should. It should have a strong hold on all of them. But besides stiff expressions from just trying to hold onto the seat as the helicopter finally started to level out, everyone was calm. Like this was just a roller coaster and they were securely held in by that bar… that bar that is so terrifyingly ineffective, if you think about it. And Mary just thought about it. What would happen if the little train cars got stuck on some steep curve or at the top of a loop? The bar would do nothing to keep passengers in the ride…

__

Think good thoughts… Mary looked away from the window and the ground outside, which seemed to change its distance from the helicopter every few seconds. Her eyes fixed on Brian's side arm for some reason. It was then that she realized then that Keith would probably be at the end of this helicopter ride. She needed a gun!

Oh, how Mary longed to pull that trigger! Keith was just one of those guys who asks for it. So smug with his little game... _Use me as a pawn, will he? I'll kill him!_

Even if Allie was unharmed; which, judging by the trouble even the aliens were having in locating her, seemed a remote possibility; Mary still wanted to shoot him. She had no gun, that was the only problem. A problem that could be fixed, though. Mary continued to stare at Brian's weapon.

"Can—you tell us what to expect?" Christina had to yell over the whine of the fully revved engines, she was speaking to Mary.

It took some thought for Mary to pull her mind out of the loop of Keith death scenes and focus on the question; even longer to formulate an answer, even thought all she was able to say was: "not really."

Not good enough. Christina still looked at her expectantly.

"I've never experienced anything quite like this, so we'll find out together."

Christina was not going to be satisfied with that, either. But it was her tough luck! Some things are just more important then answers. 

__

Ironic…Mary watched the trees clipping by through the front window. The helicopter was moving very fast, and very low. Mary had never been this close to the ground before except for during take-offs and landings. That was ironic too. This feeling of danger with the knowledge of safety was the greatest thing she had ever felt. And it took a crisis situation to bring her this thrill. It took Allie's sacrifice to make her feel alive. And it took this ambitious young reporter to make her realize just how much more important then answers questions can sometimes be.

The irony was overwhelming and enlightening; compounding her heart pounding, adrenalin induced excitement. 

Mary leaned forward to the limit of her harness and looked at Christina. "We will see something big, very very big. I can promise you that much."

The helicopter was slowing and Mary failed to notice that the craft up ahead had stopped rock steady over one spot. Her thoughts were far away. 

Everything she had ever done; her father, Chet Wakeman… the first time with Allie. It all filled her with sadness, but that sadness only made her think of everything she still had to do. _This is still my families legacy… my legacy. I _will_ see this through to the end!_

Brian spoke: "there she is!" and pointed to a spot on the ground that was illuminated by one of the beams of light from the craft.

From there movements were a blur, for Mary and the others just the same. 

Mary had Brian's gun faster then he could even realize what had happened. He reached to try to jerk it back but Mary kept it out of reach and pointed it at him.

"I'm sorry," she said, "there's something I have to do. I need it."

"What the hell are you thinking?" Brian demanded.

Mary didn't listen, "send me down there," she addressed Ka'len. Christina and Tony were frozen. 

"Now!" Mary yelled, thought she didn't mean it. The adrenalin had a hold of her. She _had_ to do this! 

Ka'len turned her entire head and upper body to look Mary straight in the eyes. Instead of trying to stop her, like Mary thought she would, Ka'len simply stared. Mary stared back, and she felt a connection of sorts. Something passed between them. The girl understood! It was in that blur of a connection that the girl's human form dissolved.

No flashes of light, or burst of energy. Ka'len's human body simply ceased to be in the minds of everyone in the cabin, and instead they saw a small… surprisingly small, and slender gray being with large black eyes set in an upside-down pear-shaped head. 

Mary noticed, but did not even care. She should have been filled with scientific wonder at such a sight, sitting right before her own eyes, but a greater understanding had passed between them in that few seconds. Mary stared into _eyes_, not alien, or human eyes, just _eyes, _which belonged to a fellow sentient being. And that was all that mattered. All this took up the space of a fraction of a second, but it seemed so slow… Mary understood. 

Ka'len nodded very slightly and slid her semi-opaque eyelids closed. Sending Mary out of the helicopter in a surge of energy. 

The next thing Mary could see was Keith, holding Allie, staring at her with _eyes_. They were different eyes. Not alien, not human, not anything that Mary even considered alive. She didn't look hard enough to see life. All she saw was: hatred, and evil, and love of inflicting pain in others. _He does not deserve to live!_

She brought the gun up with both hands, steady, and said: "put her down." Very calmly. Mary didn't feel calm though.

"Mary? wait… I…"

"Put her down, now!" Mary raised her voice, and the gun. Putting his nose right in the center of the sight. 

Time seemed to stand still. The arrival of the occupants of the saucer, Charlie, Lisa, and the two boys, failed to stir Mary. They stood well back after seeing the scene and feeling the tension in the air between these two. 

"Let me expl…"

"No!" a tear traced its way down Mary's cheek. "I've made up my mind!"

Keith didn't try to argue. He knelt, gently placing Allie on the ground, taking special care to avoid placing her on any sharp debris. He was still afraid that if she were to wake, all would be lost. 

"Stand up!" Mary demanded as the gun started to tremble in her hands. 

Lisa took a step toward Mary; Charlie reached up to grab her shoulder, but stopped short. Lisa knew what she was doing, and something told Charlie she was in no danger.

"I wont explain myself, because you wouldn't believe me." Keith said as he came back to a fully upright position. 

"No, I wouldn't." Mary lowered the gun to his chest. Her finger applied a tiny amount of pressure to the trigger. 

"Do you think I'm scared of a gun?" Keith asked as he stepped over Allie, causing Mary to flinch and point the gun stiffly back at his head.

"Don't even move you bastard!" Mary screamed through tears. "Just tell me what you did to Allie! You hurt her you son of a bitch!"

"No, Mary." He took another step, "she hurt me."

"You lie!"

"I wish I did, Mary. She tore me apart. She showed me things I didn't know; wish I would have never learned. She made me question every single moment of my past, of my entire life," Keith took another step, "she did all that out of kindness. Do you think I'm afraid of that gun; of death?"

"Shut up!"

"I was already dead, Mary. Allie showed me how to come back to life!"

"SHUT UP!"

Keith took one final step, closing the distance between them and pressing the gun into his forehead, "shut me up, Mary!" he grabbed the gun and held it tighter against his forehead, "pull that trigger and shut me up! Just promise that you will help them take care of that girl."

Mary ripped the weapon out of his hands and spun back away from him several steps, seeing her audience for the first time. Lisa stood halfway between the group and Mary's position.

"Beg!" Mary screamed as she turned back to Keith with a new intensity burning in her tear filled eyes. "I want you to beg for your life! You're a horrible person and you don't deserve to share the perfect future that _they_ are bringing for us!"

"You're right," Keith's voice grew momentarily weak as he continued: "I don't deserve to be a part of what will come. I have done so many evil things that I cant take back… I don't want to be a part of this! But you know what I learned, Mary? Do you want to know what Allie taught me?" Keith let his words hang in the air as the waves of indecision assailed Mary's psyche, all visible on her face.

"The things that I have done," he continued, "that you have done… are in the past. I did not understand that before, so I took Allie to try to make a quick buck; I thought that I had to do it since I had already committed myself to it. I can't change this," Keith gestured to Allie on the ground behind him, "no matter how bad I want to. But I understand myself now, and I can fix this mistake!"

Mary still held the gun aimed at Keith, but she was openly crying now. She had no idea what to do!

"Will you let me fix this mistake, Mary?" 

A sob shook Mary's body as the gun started to grow heavy in her hands, "no… it's not fair… no…" Mary let her arms and the gun drop to her side. She knew she was wrong. In one of those incredibly cruel twists that life just loves to throw, Mary knew that she was the only evil one standing there. Keith had done horrible things, but nothing incredibly bad to her, not bad enough to warrant death. And he was being sincere in his words about Allie. Mary knew enough of his ways to know when he was lying, and he was being more honest now then at any other time since they had met. 

"I thought I had changed…" Mary let the gun drop, "Allie told me I had changed… she was wrong, I haven't. I k—killed my father, and the only man that ever _loved_ me, and now I want to kill again!"

"You're right." Mary looked to Keith with a new understanding in her eyes, "I don't deserve to be a part of this future either, judging by my past. But I can still make decisions, and I can still fix my mistakes… I'm sorry."

A warm hand and a flowing energy came down onto Mary's shoulder, along with the gentle tone of Lisa's voice: "Allie _was_ right."

Immediately Mary's eyes found the comatose girl lying behind Keith. She was the reason behind this, not Keith. And Mary knew that her selfish urges had pushed Allie's well-being aside to make way for petty revenge. A thought that only made her feel worse. 

"Allie…" Mary mouthed, then looked to Keith questioningly, "What happened?"

"She said she had used up too much energy."

Everyone started to converge around Allie, Keith held his position and simply watched. The look on all these people's faces spoke of a profound understanding. Much deeper then that Keith had found less then an hour ago. He wanted to share in that profound understanding too, but he was content to watch.

Lisa extended a hand and tenderly placed it against Allie's cheek. "It's okay, Charlie." She said, "Allie will be okay, with time."

Charlie nodded, he understood her words, and something in the way she said them told him that: yes, everything was going to be all right. But at the same time, he was more confused then ever. Charlie, like Keith, wanted to share the knowledge Lisa had gained, but just like Keith, he was content to watch for now.

"With time." It was a new voice, from behind. Keith turned to see a tall, dark haired man looking down at him through eyes that, in the light from the spacecraft, seemed to match the hair color. No one else seemed to notice.

"Hello, Keith." The tall man said, and extended a hand.

"Who?" 

"I will explain. However, we must get Allie to help right now. There is not as much time as I wish there was."

Keith kept his eyes fixed on the tall man as he walked past, "she said she was…. She was… dying"

"If I had not come," the tall man said, "she would have been telling the truth." 

* * *

The activity below seemed to be in slow motion. Ka'len wanted to be a part of it, but this primitive machine had no built-in holding pattern to allow her to leave the controls. 

She looked over at Brian and the other two humans and saw something she never expected: they did not care what she looked like. Brian noticed her looking at him and smiled! He actually smiled! No fear of her natural form. No gawking fascination. Just people, watching something which all of them correctly sensed was the start of something big, through the windows of the helicopter as Ka'len circled the scene. 

Moisture clouded Ka'len's large eyes. She did not know it was even possible for her natural body to produce tears, but she did not care, as was made evident by the smile that stretched itself across her tiny slit of a mouth. 

* * *

A/N: so, I'm a big softie… I just couldn't kill Keith. Eh, oh well. Hope you all enjoyed that as much as I did writing it. Chapter 31 is on the way, and the end is very near… part two awaits us all around the corner though… MUHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! 


	31. chapter 31

A/N: a quick reminder to my long time readers: Nina does not know about Allie yet… I know I already made a note about the plot change but I just wanted to be sure and minimize the level of confusion.

Legacy: chapter 31

* * *

Monday, the morning after… 

Everything still seemed the same. No major changes had swept the country; or the world, no masses of people pushing at fences, no major media attention… yet. Only the people that were stopped at the roadblock knew anything was amiss. 

The meaning of life was only altered for those lucky few. That spot is where John chose to bring the small alien craft to land, if it can be called landing. It just hung there, about twenty feet off the ground, no noise, but there was a definite field of some sort of energy. The warm vibrations reached these people first, the energy of the future, a sensation of security, the same feeling Lisa grasped firmly in her memories.

The tapes that were recorded all throughout the finale of the search had yet to broadcast. The news van was only just raising its transmitter mast as the sun broke over the horizon and through the trees. Yes, for the entire population of the planet, this would be a normal day for only about another hour. That's how long Lisa gave the news to spread to every developed corner of the globe. An hour, tops. 

Pain flared, _a hangover…_ Lisa clutched her forehead as another surging wave of numb pain washed over her thoughts. The higher awareness that she had enjoyed last night was still integrated, it was permanent now. The insight that drove their search was expensive though, and this pain was its method of collection. _A hangover from hell!_ Lisa managed to refocus her vision on the KDML mast-truck.

She had always wanted to keep her life private, 'wanted' being the key word. Privacy was no longer an option, for any of them. Especially Allie. That's what hurt Lisa more then this throbbing. All her daughter wanted was to be a normal little girl. Now, she was not so little anymore, but she would still have had the chance to be normal if things could have worked out differently. Lisa always knew her family was special, that her daughter was important. This was just the first taste of the true meaning of that importance. Allie had great things waiting for her, things that would forever change and benefit humanity as a whole; it seemed so petty and selfish to Lisa for her to wish a normal life on her daughter. Allie knew all of this would happen, _this_ is why she made that decision to go with the aliens in the first place. To grow and prepare herself. 

The Styrofoam cup of coffee in Lisa's hands seemed so distant in this fuzzy state of mind. The energy she had exerted left her with a familiar disconnected feeling. like she had felt at the beginning of the awakening process, but it was different this time. No loss of control over the body… just a loss of will, and in turn, energy to do anything, even bringing the cup of coffee to her mouth seemed an impossible task. 

Some movement caught Lisa's attention, a military truck rolled into a new position. Her eyes quickly veered off of the truck and onto the saucer. Allie was in that spaceship… John and Charlie too. Lisa knew she was no use to them in this state. Her mothering instincts told her to run to her daughter's side and never leave it again; but her newfound insight told her she could help more by staying out of the way. There was nothing more she could do, after all.

John and Ka'len noticed her condition, almost in unison, after they had returned with Allie, and demanded that she rest. They said something about "cerebral energy" and it being too low. The same thing that put Allie in that coma…

The antenna mast on the news van locked into place with a loud click. It seemed loud enough to Lisa, she turned to see if something had malfunctioned, but no one else stared at the van like she did. _Maybe it's just me,_ she thought. 

Christina would start beaming the video out to their main station at any moment. Everyone in Seattle who owned a television would _know_ in just a few minutes and this current scene, relatively quiet, would be flooded with a rush of the curious. Once it was clear that this was no hoax… the government would come; Lisa was glad Mary and that nice Mr. Pierce were here to help handle that. Lisa realized something else:

__

No one even knows Allie is home yet… Uncle Tom, Nina… Mom. There were many more, but Lisa only cared about those three for now. That's all she thought she had the energy to call. They deserved to hear the news from her mouth, not from the television. 

Gathering all the concentration she could, Lisa stood from her seat on the back of one of the army trucks and started walking toward the news van. They were TV people, one of them _had _to have a phone she could borrow.

* * *

John did not know what he should say, or how to say it. Watching Charlie, as he hovered over Allie; Hoping, wishing… expecting her to sit up at any moment, filled John with a strange pity. It would not happen. Allie was in trouble, still alive, but very, very weak. John didn't know how, or if he even should tell Charlie the fact that Allie might not come back exactly the same, if she ever came back at all. 

She was so close to the edge of death that anything done with the intention of helping, might inadvertently kill her. Technology and medicine aside, life is still fragile, so very fragile… and this tiny Varin had no facilities to handle a situation such as this.

"Why did this happen?" Charlie's voice was demanding, but not hateful. A simple, calm question; previous experiences told John how combative this man was, but nothing prepared him for such understanding. This was the best possible thing to happen so far.

"Allie is very powerful, Charlie." John started, "she is much more powerful then we expected, and far more advanced then our race. All that power comes with a weakness though." John crossed the floor to stand beside Charlie, still in his human form for Charlie's sake, but given his attitude, John thought it might not matter. 

"What weakness?" Charlie asked, never taking his eyes away from Allie's peaceful face.

"The power itself." John said plainly, knelt to Charlie's level. "She has used up too much… even more then she had available. And now she must rest."

"Just like last time!" Charlie looked over to John briefly, "that night in Texas… before she went with…" he looked back to Allie, letting the obviously painful memory hang.

"Very similar." John nodded.

"Then she will be fine soon!" urgent eyes back to John, "in a couple hours she will wake up and everything will be alright."

John shook his head, "I am sorry, Charlie."

"Why… what do you mean?"

"Allie's new abilities… are incredible. We possess a very limited ability to translate our physical presence, but Allie can move farther then any of us dare. I believe she used this ability, and it weakened her beyond the point of easy recovery."

Charlie stared blankly.

"What you know she is capable of is very small compared to these new abilities. This is beyond even our medicine. No Xean has ever achieved this level of ability… we have never dealt with this condition before. We don't know how to help Allie."

Charlie swallowed, he didn't understand much of that except for the last few words, "but… you said that with time…"

"Time is the only thing I have to offer."

Charlie took in all the sobering and confusing information and slowly turned his attention back to Allie. She was so beautiful, and Charlie kicked himself for realizing it so late. So strong, so vulnerable… so… Allie. Her name floated on his tongue for several seconds. Never, in any of his most remote dreams did Charlie ever imagine having such a perfect family… even John was a part of that perfection. 

"Lisa has changed," Charlie spoke softly, "just over the past few hours, in ways that I wont even pretend to understand. Allie was always a mystery to me from the first time I met her… so peaceful and knowing… I don't think I need to understand it, any of it. I trust Lisa, and I believe every word that comes out of her mouth. She said that Allie would be okay, so she will be. That's all I need to know." Charlie reached over and ran a hand across the top of Allie's head, smoothing several stray strands of blond out of her face.

John said nothing. He didn't need to. Charlie respected that in Ka'len, and now in John. Words are cheep if used wrong, and this moment needed no further words.

Several minutes passed as both John and Charlie knelt, in silence. Then John placed a hand on Charlie's shoulder, said: "perhaps, after all this is over, we might become friends."

Charlie looked toward the alien man, the one who started all of this, who wrecked their lives and stole Allie's childhood from her. But he didn't see any of that; he didn't want to see it. That was in the past, just like that man said back there in the woods. Any being capable of reason can make decisions, and John had made bad decisions. But they were made, chiseled into the stone of time, unchangeable. What happens now, what words Charlie chose to use, the way he spoke, all of it could be changed. Nothing that is yet to be done _has _to be done. Charlie wanted a part of Lisa's enlightenment. No more living in the past!

"I'd like that…" Charlie answered.

More silence passed between them. The ever present humming of the alien craft was now nothing more then normal background noise to Charlie. He felt oddly at home in these surroundings. Something he dared not question, for fear that it might change something about this moment. 

"There is one thing I can do." John stood, "be you will not be able to remain by Allie's side, nor will I."

"I don't care," Charlie looked up as he spoke, "if it will help her, do it."

"I was anticipating that response." John moved around to the front of the dome and touched something on one of the silvery finger pads. 

"Uh… what?" Charlie asked.

"This vessel will return to my command craft. More suitable medical facilities may be able to do more for her then time alone can accomplish."

Charlie nodded, but something didn't add up. "What do you mean you can't go?"

"Events have been set into motion, Charlie. I must remain here to represent my race."

"Represent your race?"

"Allie was instructed not to tell anyone." John made his way back to Charlie's position as the craft's background hum grew louder, "we are proposing a cooperative alliance between our peoples. Allie was to mediate on the behalf of both Xean and Human interest, but I will substitute until she has recovered." 

Charlie did not know what to say, so he asked the simplest, yet most important question anyone can ask: "why?"

"Because of what we have seen in Allie." John answered simply, but Charlie would need more information to understand fully: "Your species is incredibly powerful. And you are nearing the point where normal humans can realize that power. We simply want to help guide the human race through a time that all but destroyed Xean civilization."

__

That explains her first few days home! Charlie felt anger building for the first time since last night as he placed these last few pieces in the puzzle and got a big, uncomfortable picture of the scope of the 'plan', and Allie's assigned role, right in the middle of it. John could sense Charlie's anger too and backtracked through his last few statements to make sure he had not said something wrong.

"She cried," Charlie said, obviously keeping emotions in check, but just barely, "several days after she got home, for no reason at all…and now I know why." Charlie turned his eyes onto John, the combative spirit flowing back into them. "tell me why you did that to her? She could have at least talked about it… she tried to talk to me but I didn't know what to say…"

"You must understand…" _information can calm human anger, _"we did not know that Allie would gain these friends to help protect her. What we told her was for her safety, and for your own."

"So… what is she supposed to do?" Charlie asked bitterly. 

"It was my idea to bring her back…" John continued. He had heard Charlie's question, but a further explanation might calm him further, into a state more receptive to logic, "the original time table would have given her five years to recapture her normal life… I wanted to give that to her. Plans changed… and so I have returned with a small fleet to start the assimilation process early." 

"What happens if it doesn't work?" Charlie stood, "what happens to Allie, and to us and her friends if your little 'plan' backfires and the army chases your ships away."

John could laugh at that idea… but he was more interested in Charlie's demonstration of aggression. The Experiment might not have been such a bad thing after all. Never, if John was presented the opportunity, would he participate in anything like it again; but these humans that made up a part of his family… they were proving to be a never-ending source of insight into his own inner being.

"Please, calm yourself, Charlie." John spoke soothingly as a blinding light formed an opening along the wall nearest them, "the plan is already a success."

John stepped around Allie and gestured toward the brilliant white opening. Charlie felt compelled to walk into the light, but he felt equal compulsion to remain by his daughter's side. "What about her?" he asked, "you're just going to let who… what ever it is on that other ship deal with her?"

"What would you have me do?" John thought Charlie was taking the confrontational side to an excessive point now, but it was to be expected after being through so much… for the second time. John kept his voice calm and steady: "there are those in my crew who follow the ancient religion, those few view Allie as a reincarnated prophet, returned to them through their gods gift of science. The others view her for what she is, more advanced then they are, therefore, more important then they are. She will be well cared for." 

John was confident his speech had the desired effect. Charlie looked once more upon Allie, then slowly entered the lighted passage. John followed behind him and immediately they were both standing on the grass alongside the road and the military vehicles. 

John asked: "do you see the plan in motion now?" as they both looked out at the crowd of excited people. More civilian clothes then military could be seen in the throng now, and yes, Charlie could understand the idea behind the plan. It was his own, from Texas. Get as many witnesses as you can and the government cannot do a thing to you. Except in this case it was skewed; John intended to build this alliance on the civilian population! Government was of a secondary concern.

"Yes, I think I do." Charlie said.

John smiled, "good. I knew you would be the first to understand." Then he started walking toward that crowd as the Varin behind them started to slowly rise back into the air from its stationary hover. "Now I must talk with Lisa… this change you spoke of is of great importance… and interest"

* * *

Stuffy, dust filled air was the last thing most people would expect on such a clear and cold morning, but Mary's lungs were assailed with the smells and the texture as soon as she flung the canvas hangings back and entered the rear area of the military transport truck. Keith sat alone on one of the hard wooden benches, nylon zip-tie handcuffs and all. He did not acknowledge her entrance in the least, just kept looking forward and after a short, tense silence, asked:

"Is Allie going to be okay?"

Mary's cheeks flushed bright red. _How dare he?! He caused this! _

She rushed across the short distance and slapped him in the side of the face with a ridged open palm. He had to have felt it! But he showed no sign. Simply straightened himself after absorbing the blow and reaffixed his eyes onto some arbitrary point on the opposing bench. 

"I should have shot you!" Mary's voice was about to explode into a wild scream, but she controlled it. Why the hell was he acting so… serene? The question only filled Mary with more anger.

"But you didn't" Keith spoke after letting Mary think for a second. She knew he did it on purpose! What could have possibly happened to 'change' him so much… people can't just 'change' so fast!

"You better start talking, you bastard." The last word dripped from Mary's mouth like venom from a snake's fang as she sat on the opposing bench, forcing Keith's gaze onto her. 

"Isn't this ironic?" Keith asked with a slight smirk. 

"I don't care!" Mary snapped but quickly calmed herself.

Keith continued: "our roles are reversed. When I first met you, you were the one in federal custody."

_So he wants to play? _Mary spoke dryly: "you are in military custody, Mr. Sheppard. A very, very, _very _different situation."

"An astute observation." Keith smiled again. No smirk this time… it was a real smile with real feeling behind it. He was genuinely amused, and Mary was conflicted.

"I am a scientist, Sheppard, it goes with the territory… now stop dodging."

"You're the one who's dodging." 

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"You felt it, last night in the woods… the Knowledge."

_Knowledge? _The way Keith emphasized the word made it sound religious. Mary could not remember much between the time Brian spotted Allie, to Lisa's hand touching her shoulder; boy did she ever remember that! The warm tingling could still be felt where Lisa's hand had rested. Something big had changed in Lisa… could Keith have somehow found what Lisa had found.

"You don't understand?" Keith asked, to which Mary could only shake her head 'no'. 

"It's very simple… Allie told me who I am, and in doing so, answered every unasked question that has ever plagued me in my entire life… all with that one simple act."

Mary found her voice again: "so, who are you?" She did not take him very seriously, and the tone of her voice conveyed this skepticism. 

Keith shrugged, "you'd just say I was lying."

"Try me." Dull curiosity, if even that.

"I…" Keith hesitated, something he had not done seriously before. Which caused Mary to listen closer. Maybe this 'change' was real. Keith continued: "I am part of them, just like Allie and her mother."

_Yeah right! _Mary's disbelief was overpowering, Keith had been right, Mary did think he was lying… but something in the way he had said it stopped Mary from laughing out loud. So serious a voice for conveying such a ludicrous idea. Something more was there, though. Something unspoken, but profoundly important to understanding. Mary phrased a question instead of her planned dismissive remark: "that's what Allie told you?"

"Yes." So blunt, so honest!

_But his entire line of work is based on how well he can lie_… Mary would not fall into another of this mans traps. Especially one this outrageous.

"So… you're what? Allie's second cousins uncles nephew?" Mary laughed. 

Keith considered the question though, forgetting the fact that it was a pure joke, and said after a moment of thought: "I'm not sure. An uncle? Half-uncle? I haven't got a clue about genealogy so I can't tell you." 

"Why can't you drop it?" Mary asked in a low voice, "you're caught, busted, fin, finished, that's all she wrote… just give it a rest and tell me what you wanted from Allie!"

"What I _wanted_," Keith leaned forward, "was money."

"From Allie? Like her family has money… I don't buy that." 

"You didn't let me finish, _Miss_ Crawford. I was going to sell her to a pharmaceuticals research firm… one-hundred million, no questions asked, no faces or names shared."

"Okay, I believe you part-alien story more then I believe that."

"Both, Mary, are the truth. It's not my problem if you don't believe me."

"It doesn't make sense!" Mary almost flew up from the bench. She knew he was going to beat around the bush as much as possible… but he was mutilating that poor bush and not doing anything but wasting her time.

"I should have shot you when I had the chance! I knew it! I had the gun, and you, and it was perfect…"

"Was it really, Mary? Why didn't you shoot?"

"Oh no! Not you too! Ka'len and Lisa went on and on about my motives, and what my not pulling the trigger meant… I'm not going to hear it from you too!"

"I don't think you listened to what they said, so if I say it, you will have heard it for the first time."

"Look!" Mary did stand that time, "stop these games and answer me, or I _will _shoot you!"

"I've already answered you, you crazy bitch. Sit down and calm down… you're wasting your own time."

"Fine," _that was more in his normal character,_ Mary thought. She really wanted to kick him in the side of the head, and could have, but sat back on the bench instead. "If your story is true, tell me how a pharmaceuticals firm even knew about Allie?" 

"I told them. I had to go through several companies till I found one that would believe what I said she was capable of." 

"Why would they even care?"

Keith shrugged, "I never asked, and they never told."

"How convenient for your little story…"

Keith continued without the slightest reaction to Mary's implication, "the man I talked to did say that all they required was the brain. But that if I could bring in the 'subjects' entire body that it would be worth twice as much."

Mary could only stare for several seconds as she processed every thing. Keith had to have an angle… but Mary could come up with nothing to show it. And the way he spoke gave no hints if insincerity. Believing his story would cause just as many problems as not doing so. On the one hand, there was a rouge research firm out there that would have to be dealt with somehow; on the other, Mary had just wasted ten minutes of her suddenly very exciting life on this arrogant ass-hole without a thing to show for it.

"What reason do I have to lie, Mary? You already said it yourself, 'fin, finished, that's all she wrote'. I don't gain anything from continuing in my old MO, you should have already figured that out."

_He's right…am I just afraid to believe him? _

"Tell me a name. For this 'pharmaceuticals' company."

"I don't have one." Keith lied, he knew now that he was still in the game, and he knew that Mary knew. He needed just that one card to play. "I can tell you where I was supposed to drop the body."

Mary's eyes took on a searching glaze as she stared at the painted wooden floor slats for what seemed like a full minute. Then she looked up and said: "I have no explanation why, but I believe you."

Keith could hear the way those last three words were ripped from her. She really did not want to say that, and it showed. Meaning one thing above all else: she meant it because she wanted to hide it.

"Stand up." Mary said as she stood, "we're going on a field trip." 

* * *

__


	32. chapter 32

Legacy: chapter 32

* * *

Any moment now, this highway in the foothills of the Olympic Mountains would become more of a circus then it already was. John had briefed Brian personally on what was about to happen, what to expect from the crowd; but as Brian sat and tried to write out the message that was to be played over the loudspeakers and scrolled across the huge projection screens of all those transmitter trucks sent by the worlds news conglomerates, he was totally overwhelmed.

_How do you tell two million anxious and curious people not to be afraid of a mile long space ship coming out of the sky?_

Two million could be an understatement by now on Thursday, 'A-Day' plus three, but it was the last estimate Brian heard from Wednesday. People from all over the country were flocking here in droves, most parking along the highway for several miles in either direction and making the hike up to join the crowd. 

__

Insanity! Brian really did not want to step outside the peacefulness of the communication truck into the chaos of the 'circus'. That was his job, though, according to John. 

A massive detachment of troops had arrived from McChord Air Force Base, with two star General William L. Calhoun commanding them; who should have taken over as the ranking officer. But John had been insistent that, while not disrespecting earth military customs, Brian should remain in charge until the General was acquainted with the full depth of the situation. 

Brian had worried that any further military involvement, no matter how inevitable it was, might bring in a man like his old C.O., General Beers… four stars on the uniform and five on his ego. Brian really disliked that man. The attitude displayed by these newcomers made him feel more at ease. 

General Calhoun seemed less full of himself then Beers was even on his good days. Not necessarily a 'nice guy', Calhoun did show a certain level of human understanding that told him the gung-ho military mindset would be suicide in this situation. Something Beers could have never understood, or put into practice had he understood.

_Good enough… _Brian dropped his pen and folded the paper roughly; the message was not perfect, but it would serve the purpose. Something had to be said to all those people before the 'Sally', as John referred to it, made her spectacular entrance in the sky over them.

Brian thought of something else before prying himself from the comfortably cushioned swivel chair. He still needed to have a talk with Crawford about her little unannounced escapade Monday afternoon. Two civilians were in custody and another in critical condition in the aftermath of her 'field trip'. That's not what bothered Brian though. The civilians captured; according to Keith Sheppard, if he was to be believed, were the ones who wanted to buy Allie for the purposes of research. Brian would not care if she had killed all three… it would have been the wrong thing to do… but bodies produce much less paperwork than prisoners. What really got him was: how in the hell Mary had managed to trick two members of his hand picked special ops squad into tagging along? Saying that it was 'the Major's order'. Sure, the soldiers had some responsibility for not checking with him first, but Mary was the instigator. 

_She did get results, though. _Brian thought as he opened the door,_ and if she had talked to me, I would have negated her plan… we would have lost those three 'people'. _He chuckled lightly and stepped to the ground, _what a wonderfully manipulative woman!_

The spring-loaded door of the communication truck closed behind him as Brian looked out across the crowd. A sea of warm bodies; men, women, and children, stretching out, seemingly over the horizon from this position in a shallow valley. Above the sea of heads floated the news vans, at least three dozen that Brian could count, all with their masts at full extension, several of the more high-tech trucks had huge LCD screens hoisted above the masses, playing the images recorded last Sunday night. 

_This is no circus, _Brian rethought his assessment, viewing this somewhat orderly scene. All the people waited patiently. No barrier runners or other problems had been reported sense Tuesday. All these people stayed because they felt compelled to. They were about to be a part of history. That's how Brian felt. From what vague information John had given him, Brian knew that this would be _the_ moment in history. A turning point. Forget BC/AD, dates would now be marked as Before Aliens and After Aliens. At least in the minds of all the people here, after they all see what they are about to see. That is what kept them all from lapsing into a riot, this sense of profound purpose. 

Brian started off toward the small camp that had been set up for military personnel and for the Keys/Clark's growing entourage of family and friends. John was there, with his 'family', and Brian wanted to run this message by him before it ran past all the two million plus watchers.

* * *

Alienation, an odd word choice to describe what Tyler felt at the moment. He had been overly blunt with his mother when she came to pick Jamie up, demanding to stay, and not giving much explanation why. Now he felt bad. It was lonely, sitting in the corner of this large military tent/building erected for Allie's parent's friends and family. So much activity, and all of it directed right past him, as if he was out-of-the-loop and they needed to keep all this a secret from him.

Not that he needed to be a part of this anyway, he would not have been a part of this if not for meeting Allie. The waiting was getting to him though; Tyler could not explain why he was so anxious to hear about Allie. He did not want to accept that this thing he and Allie shared, even though they had not gotten much of a chance to share it, could affect such a strong control over him to make him yell at his mother and abandon life outside this camp just to hear that she was okay. 

It drove him though. Every time a new person entered he sat up attentively, to try and hear what was being said, but it was always just another request for an interview or something else of little importance. 

Tyler had also been watching 'John', and the way 'Ka'len' acted around him. Awed respect… she jumped to his every word. 'Yes nas'lenteni', 'at once, nas'lenteni!'

_What is a Nas'Lenteni? _Tyler mouthed the alien word to himself. Ka'len used it like anyone else would say 'sir', but she said nothing else in that peculiar language. _Aliens are so… alien._

A new person entered the tent, Tyler sat up to listen, but it was just that army man. 'Pierce' had been in and out every few minutes over the last few days. Tyler leaned back as the man crossed the floor toward John and handed him a piece of paper. John studied the small slip for a moment before saying: "This is acceptable." And handing it back. 

_Who put him in charge?_ Tyler wondered. Everyone, not just Ka'len, treated John with a respect that seemed to have no real source. John carried himself with a certain level of authority, maybe that was it. Some people are just natural leaders. Tyler had been told several times that he had a 'take charge' personality, but he did not believe the teachers and coaches that said it. No one ever listened to anything he said unless they agreed with it, how can that be called 'taking charge'?

"Are you uncomfortable?" a soft female voice jarred Tyler's green eyes off of John. The voice belonged to Ka'len, Tyler knew from memory, but he still could not stop the involuntary reaction to jerk away. He did not mean to, and he could tell in her face that it had hurt her feelings.

"I'm fine… sorry."

She did not reply. Tyler started to apologize again; this had been the fourth time for him to react that way to her and he really was sorry. But she glanced back toward John, and then sat down without further words. Tyler wasn't sure what to say.

"I do not belong here," she said. "I am uncomfortable."

"Oh…" _that kind of uncomfortable…_ Tyler stared straight ahead; afraid to look at the girl whom he had been lead to believe was Allie's cousin. He wanted to give her a chance though. So far, the 'aliens' didn't seem that different… especially if Allie was somehow part them. Nothing that perfect could be bad.

"I know what you mean." Tyler said after working up the courage to venture a quick sideways glance at the girl. He kept expecting to see a short gray 'person' sitting next to him, but she was still the same dark hared girl. 

"That is why I chose this spot." Ka'len said. 

"Have…" Tyler glanced at her again to find her looking squarely at him. For some reason he did not look away, "have you heard anything about Allie?"

"Not yet," came a quick reply.

"Oh…" disappointment.

Tyler could not think of anything else to say or ask. If he could have, he probably would have still kept his mouth shut. Awkward situations were not one of Tyler's strengths, and this was about as awkward as anything could get. Ka'len sitting with him did make the loneliness subside slightly. She planed it that way, of course. 

Ka'len spoke after a minute: "you have deep feelings for Allie."

The question/statement was a thing that Tyler had observed before, but never directed to him. How do you respond? Did she already know and was just saying so, or was she asking?

"Yes. I think…" Tyler said at the risk of sounding stupid.

"She has equal feelings for you."

Tyler was shocked silent. He turned his attention back to the ground for several minutes. The casual seriousness of way she said it almost overshadowed the message. Almost, but in this case, almost did not count. Those six words where the best thing that Tyler had ever heard. Ka'len spoke again:

"Allie's feelings toward you are troubling and confusing for her. Please, be careful when you see her."

Tyler could only nod. He did not completely understand why she had said it, or even what she meant, but at this point it no longer mattered. Tyler applied his own meaning: _take it slow._

"Did she tell… I mean… did you talk about…"

"No." Ka'len silenced him with a single word. She reached towards Tyler's hand, which he offered without question. The moment they touched, Tyler felt a rush of sensations; emotions alien to him, but still identifiable. They were confused emotions. Frightened and searching for meaning. But at the same time that meaning was written large across the warm fluttering in his chest. 

Ka'len took her hand away, taking the strange sensations with it. Tyler stared at her dumbly for several moments before tying to ask:

"What was that?"

"My sympathetic emotional responses to Allie's encounters with you."

Tyler found himself nodding again even though not a word of that made any sense. 

A blaring voice erupted outside, talking about a giant spacecraft and the importance of not fearing it… Tyler could only make out half of the words. Ka'len soon filled in the blanks though:

"An announcement," she explained, "one of our fleet vessels is nearing this location. Allie is on that vessel."

As soon as Ka'len finished talking, Tyler noticed that the low mumble of voices in the tent had silenced and every one stared at them. The voice on the speakers outside started repeating its message.

Tyler felt his cheeks growing red from all the eyes on him. Ka'len seemed equally effected, but for a different reason. John was the only one looking at her.

"I am sorry…" Ka'len blurted

"That was not safe." John said calmly but with authority and force. Tyler watched the expressions on both their faces; shame on Ka'len's, reproach on John's. He was not sure exactly what was being said, or what Ka'len had to be sorry about. Tyler _was_ sure that he was starting to dislike this 'John'.

"She didn't do anything." The words leapt from Tyler's mouth before he realized what he was doing. This brought the uncomfortable attention of the alien man onto him. 

"It is not safe for our race to share our infantile emotions with humans. It can cause damage." John explained, voice still calm, but devoid of the authority he had used with Ka'len. 

"I'm not damaged…"

A strange look flashed behind John's eyes, like he had just had the most brilliant idea ever. Then, he smiled, "you are, close, to Allie, correct?"

"He is." Ka'len said.

Tyler quickly turned to Ka'len, _the nerve! _

"That is good." John said in a totally neutral tone. Then turned back toward the others, who were still looking in their direction. 

_What's good? _Something did not sound right about that. _What_, Tyler could not say. Ka'len seemed excited though.

"Nas'Lenteni likes you."

"What?" Tyler whispered, feeling eyes still watching him. 

But Ka'len didn't get a chance to answer. She was on her feet in a blur. Tyler looked back to John, who sat straight in his chair, staring off into thin air as if waiting for something to happen. As quickly as the event started, it stopped… whatever it was. John looked toward Lisa and Charlie and gave a small nod. 

* * *

Outside, there was not a head in the entire mass of people that was not turned toward the sky. Christina was one of the gawkers, cutting off in the middle of a live international broadcast to stare at the sky where a loud rumbling could be heard. Always the professional videographer, in search of that perfect shot, Tony turned his camera toward the sky, and the bank of clouds that appeared to be concealing the noises origin. 

The feeling of privilege had faded somewhat in Christina's view, after the arrival of news crews from just about every news organization in the world, from the biggest to the most obscure. The BBC logo was painted across the side of one of the closest trucks, the CNN van sat just several yards farther out. Both trucks sported fancy LCD projection screens, and both were replaying one of Christina's earlier interviews with the widely accepted UFO and alien expert, Tom Clark. This helped to replace some of that feeling of privilege. No other crews had been allowed inside the army's perimeter. Mary Crawford was right, this was the biggest story ever, and she had given Christina Hart the exclusive! 

The rumbling seemed to waver for a moment, then erupted again much more violently as the clouds started to take on an orange/red glow. Like the sound underneath a freeway overpass but with the muffled crackle of an intense bonfire. Everyone still stared expectantly up at what they knew was approaching. No fear, just anticipation. Christina dared not glance away for fear of missing something but she could tell by the crowd's reactions; gasps and silence, nothing else. 

The red glow grew as the rumbling started to subside, replaced by a very deep vibrating hum that Christina could feel in her chest more then her ears could sense it. She finally built up the nerve to look away when she noticed the group of people that were with 'Allie's' parents starting to flow out of the military tent. All of them except Lisa stared into the sky; Lisa looked from the older woman that was grasping her hand, to the man called John as if she didn't even care what was happening.

Several moments later Lisa did look to the sky, drawing Christina's eyes up with hers. The cloud broke, revealing a red hot glowing metallic something that just kept coming. It was huge! The 'craft' continued to slowly lose altitude and inch its way forward toward the masses of spectators, the clouds kept rolling back to reveal more and more spaceship! 

Christina couldn't take it any more; she tapped Tony on the shoulder and motioned toward the crowd. The open mouthed stares of the people were easy to understand, and they made a wonderful reaction shot. What was not so easy to grasp was why no one had freaked out already. Christina knew this was going to happen and she was still close to the point of a breakdown into hysterics; not from fear… from uncontrollable excitement.

Tony had seen enough of the crowd's reaction and quickly leveled the camera back on the hulking mass of silvery metal that was beginning to slow as it neared their position. 

The design was vastly different from the small saucer shaped craft. Christina's eyes darted up and down the massive, elongated form. Totally smooth, the front was slightly rounded and the whole of the structure of the craft looked like a great squashed cylinder, creating an oval cross section. Toward the rear there were two… no three, smaller squashed cylindrical structures attached to the sides and top. 

The whole ship was still very far away, but its size made it seem so close. The tail end, or what Christina assumed was the rear, was shrouded in mist and haze because of its distance, but the front was crisp and clearly visible, and almost directly overhead. 

Movement. The group of people from the army tent had started walking out into the road. The one called John was speaking to them; Christina could not hear him… she had to hear! 

"Hey…" Tony called after her as Christina took off toward them. She heard him but did not care; he would follow, his hunger for the perfect shot guaranteed it.

They were further off then Christina had judged, she stepped up her pace into a full run, but still it seemed as if they were moving away. They weren't. Christina slowed, and then stopped when she noticed that the static energy was back, strong. The same as it had been in the helicopter when that alien had done that… whatever it was called to Mary, but much stronger. As Christina watched, the group she was heading for seemed to grow smaller, the area around them started to look warped… it was warped, even the air! Then, the whole group, ten or more people, were enveloped in a bright flash and disappeared. 

"Wow…" Tony breathed as he came to a stop behind her, "I don't think I can ever get used to seeing that."

"Yeah…" Christina turned back toward the van, obviously disappointed. One particularly well said statement from Tom Clark during her earlier interview ran through her head again:

"_Arthur C. Clarke once said, "any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic". I think what everyone needs to remember is that: no matter what we see in the coming times; these 'aliens' are not gods, they are simply far more advanced then we are."_

"They're not gods, Tony." Christina spoke over her shoulder, noticing that Tony had the camera aimed at the giant ship once more. She turned back and whispered: "but they sure seem that way compared to us." 

* * *

A/N: Dun Dun Dun! The beginning of the end… of this first part of the story. Legacy will draw to a close with the next chapter. Legacy: Forgotten Dreams, the next installment will follow, eventually. I will have more information in Legacy's final A/N. hope everyone enjoyed this chapter! 


	33. chapter 33

A/N: well… here it is, the moment you've all been waiting for. Dun dun dun! The final chapter. It's a bit on the long side, just a warning. I will have more information on the sequel after the Epilogue.

Enjoy!

Legacy: chapter 33

* * *

For Charlie and the others, one long week of waiting. A week, for the rest of the world, filled with awe and wonder, revolutions, riots, and protests; a week of worldwide philosophical searching, asking: what is the meaning of life now? Where do we, humans on earth, fit in to this cosmic puzzle? Is life really just the result of a happy accident? Are we humans, and all beings from all corners of the universe, truly the masters of our own destinies or is there still some higher ordering force, a 'god'?

Only seven days had passed since the news went out, permanently burning all these questions into the collective consciousness of human society. Questions that threatened to pull some communities apart, but strengthened the bonds that held others together. Only four days since John's fleet had arrived and silenced those questions, if only for a second, with fantastic and wondrous sights, as everyone, both scientist and lay-man alike, marveled at the beauty, grace, and sophistication of alien technology. 

Charlie knew he had a view from a place that the entire world could only envy, both literally and figuratively, from this 'room' along the outer corridor of the Sally's 'lab deck'. But all those questions with their serious and earthshaking implications for traditional human society were no more then a passing curiosity to him. Even an annoying distraction. Allie still lie unconscious, her body suspended in a gravity nullification field above a short pedestal of a table in the center of the room. She was the object of his thoughts, the only thing that mattered. The irony did not slip past Charlie though; this was the most time he had spent with his daughter since they first met, and she was sleeping…

Xean physiological and psychological specialist came and went in a predictable pattern. Almost on the quarters, Charlie had glanced at his watch every time one of the short gray people came in. 

_People?_ Charlie drifted in and out of true awareness. All of his thoughts were filled so completely with the depth of his involvement in this… thing that was happening all over the world that the highly polished interior, strange noises, and even stranger sights presented by his surroundings did little but add to the list of annoying distractions. 

Besides Charlie's presence in the room, two other non-alien things occupied the pedestal under Allie's suspended body. Both books; one, left by Tom, (who, thankfully, had become the family spokesperson to the media) was his only work of 'fiction' so far, "The Hardest Choice". The other left by Major Pierce. A tattered old paperback copy of "Huckleburry Finn". Charlie had inquired about the significance of the book, to which Pierce had simply replied: "she might like to read it for herself now". Understanding that would take time, and Charlie was unsure if he even needed to understand it.

Many things fit neatly into that category. The technology that held Allie's body motionless, about a foot off the table, was intriguing, but Charlie didn't need to understand it; the same technology, according to John, was keeping this massive, multi-trillion ton mass of alloyed metals suspended in the sky over the outskirts of Seattle, Charlie still did not need to understand it. Only to accept it as a part of this reality, like Lisa said. 

Charlie stood, stretching his legs felt good after such a long night of sitting and watching. Lisa would be back soon; Tom, and possibly Carol with her. The understanding shown by all their friends and family so far had been a major relief to Charlie and Lisa. Charlie knew that they would probably understand why the news of such an important event as Allie's return; which all of them had _known_ was going to happen since the night she left, was kept a secret from them. But there was still that tinge of doubt that said feelings would be hurt, and relationships ruined. 

Nothing of the sort happened. Even Nina, practically a second mother to Allie who had shared the burden of raising her for those nine years of Charlie's absence, accepted it without question. maybe it was the awesome circumstance. Who would honestly harbor ill feelings while getting a guided tour of an alien 'tactical transport' from a not so distant family member who, as it turns out, is the head of the entire Xean fleet?

That is definitely not something that happens every day, and Charlie was sure he would never forget the look on Tom's face when the term 'Nas'Lenteni' was translated to 'Supreme Commander'. Everything was just a bit on the unreal side. Like they had all just stepped onto a movie set. Truth is often stranger then the most far out fiction, though. And this was all very real. 

Unknown to Charlie, while those distracting thoughts churned in his head, he had walked all the way from his ledge along the windowed wall to the table/platform where Allie hovered. It took his foot coming into contact with the side of that table to snap him back from his reverie. Allie still looked so peaceful, as if they had not even disturbed her hair when she was brought in this chamber from the small saucer. 

She was stable now, safe. She was going to pull through; the only question now was when. The Xean specialists said that stimulants could be administered to wake her up at any time, but that it might create unpleasant side effects, including mild amnesia and other personality defects. Out of the question! Obviously. Lisa and Charlie strictly forbid it, and John said something in that strange alien language that totally removed the option from the realm of possibility. Even if Lisa or Charlie did want them to wake her, they _would not_ do it. Allie would wake up on her own, whenever her body was ready to handle it.

What that left for Charlie and everyone else were these long days and nights of watching, waiting by her side. Allie could not be allowed to wake alone. The last thing she remembered was being with Keith in the woods; waking up in this environment alone, even though it is not 'alien' to her, could have serious psychological impact that had to be avoided. Again, according to John. 

John was thinking on two levels, of course. One part emotional: he wanted Allie back just as bad as Charlie and Lisa; the other part political: he knew the importance of what Allie had to do now, and that she was the only one who could gain enough support from the population to do it. Charlie knew what she had to do too, as well as Lisa, from watching the global reactions on the news. This would be a massive job. Allie would probably become the right-hand advisor of every major world leader; she had already received personally written invitations from the President's of the United States and France, and the Prime Minister of England. She would have to single handedly train diplomats to represent their countries, and if that was not big enough, she was the only one who, after gaining that support from the population, could start the suggestion rolling in the U.N. for a single governmental body to represent all the people of earth. Charlie had never had an interest in politics side of government, and just thinking about how drastically, their lives were about to change gave him a headache. He knew they could handle it though. After all, was that not why they were 'chosen' by the Xean's in the first place? Strength and humility.

The door, a section of the shiny metal wall that blended perfectly when closed, zipped open silently. Charlie turned, expecting to see Lisa and Tom but was instead greeted by a sheepish smile from Mary Crawford. She stepped in awkwardly, her mind had obviously not grown accustom to the appearance of Xean architecture yet. The sparkle of discovery was still in her eyes even though this visit marked her third time here.

"Hi," Mary came closer to the pedestal and Allie, where Charlie stood, "how is she?"

Charlie really didn't want to talk right now, especially not to this woman. 

__

Living in the past… Charlie quickly prodded himself. Mary was no longer a threat, why treat her badly?

"She's okay." Charlie said, "they say she could wake up any time now."

"That's good." 

Mary tried to look Charlie in the eye but she could not. Too much bad history. Just being in such close quarters with him and Allie at the same time filled her with guilt. All this pain could have been avoided five years ago if she had just listened to Chet: _"let it go"_. Mary felt so incredibly small and stupid all the sudden. For someone in the pursuit of science, she had been unconscionably immature and shortsighted. 

This, where she was standing right now, was all she had ever wanted. To _know!_ To be a part of them, or even just catch a glimpse. Mary actually envied Allie, the knowledge she carried in that small part of her that is them. Now, Mary knew that the events of this past week would have probably happened anyway, with or without her interference. _If I would have only known! We could have shifted the project from research to diplomacy and befriended Allie and her parents. _There was no way to predict any of this, though. Part of Mary knew that, just not the part that was ruling her emotions.

Mary's gaze finally settled on the two books beneath Allie. One she recognized, from North Dakota; yet another way she had taken something away from Allie by spoiling the ending. The other was new, by Tom Clark. She picked it up.

Charlie watched her as she flipped the cover open, said: "it's pretty good."

"I've read several of Tom's other books… as part of the project, always looking for clues… I didn't think he would ever compromise his reputation with fiction."

"Its not fiction." Charlie smiled, "the main character, a young girl named Alice, discovers that she's part alien… you can fill in the blanks."

"So he…"

"Wrote Allie's story. Read the dedication."

Mary was way ahead of Charlie, she had already flipped to that page and started to read aloud: "for a very special little girl. Where ever you may be, and whatever you have become. We will always keep a spot in our hearts and minds open for you." Mary took a deep breath. She really had to struggle to keep from tearing up from that one. Charlie noticed but did not say anything; he just turned and headed back toward the window wall. 

_Change the subject._ Mary put the book down. Those three short sentences had served to further stir a pot of unsteady emotions. 

"You know who's down there?" Mary asked, noticing the way Charlie looked out at the Seattle skyline in the distance. He didn't answer so Mary continued: "the President and the Joint Chief's, with a large contingent of ambassadors and several foreign heads of state."

Charlie turned, surprise evident on his features but he still remained silent. Perhaps he didn't know what to say.

Mary took several slow steps toward the window, "you've probably never had the privilege of dumbing down scientific terms for the leaders of the free world… I just came from that meeting. Mr. Alderson is anxious to meet Allie."

"We got his invitation." Charlie turned his attention back to the window. "I never knew how plain Whitehouse stationary was… I always expected some fancy gold-embossed scroll being read aloud by a messenger." 

Mary laughed, "like something out of Shakespeare?"

"Yeah, I guess…" Charlie chuckled lightly, "I just can't believe any of this is real. I keep expecting to wake up at any moment to find out that this has all just been a wonderful nightmare, that Allie never really came back to us."

"I hope this isn't your dream, because that would mean I'm still sitting in a federal prison…" it had seemed funny in her head, but it did not come out that way.

"Fortunately for you, it's not."

"Yeah…" Mary found herself lost in the view; Charlie was too, for a second. Neither of them heard the faint whine of the nullification field powering down or the soft sound of bare feet touching the polished floor. The alien craft hovered higher than the highest skyscraper, giving a beautiful birds-eye view out across the wooded hills and into Seattle and the Pacific Ocean beyond it. The crowds below looked like blobs of strange colors from this height. 

"Do you think you're ready for this?" Mary asked.

"This?" Charlie took a second comprehending, then: "yes, I think I am."

"Oh…" Mary looked away and took a nervous breath, "I'm not…"

"Why not?"

"President Alderson just asked me to join his staff, E.T. relations or something like that; cabinet level. And I accepted it like a moron!" 

"Ah… "

A slow, building look of surprise flowed onto Mary's face, and before Charlie could ask, he heard the source come to a stop beside him. He turned to see Allie staring blankly out at the people below. She pressed a hand up against the glass-like surface and looked down at the crowd that spread out under the ship.

"Allie… you're…"

She did not hear him. Her eyes were vacant, like she was still half-asleep in that coma-like state. This had been explained in depth: extreme disorientation mixed with shock. Several minutes would be required before Allie was ready to talk, and then Charlie would have to explain everything that happened over the past week in detail, just like John had told him to.

Charlie wrapped an arm around Allie's shoulders and gently pulled her close. Her eyes were still fixed on the horizon, and her body was warmer than it should be; a side effect of the metabolism altering compounds and melatonin supplements she had been given.

"Do you want me to get Lisa…" Mary glanced over her shoulder at the door.

"Not yet." Charlie said, "let Allie come back to normal... everything's going to be alright now."

* * *

Tyler stood at his locker, staring blankly at the load of books and other meaningless items within. Monday mornings had never been particularly easy, but today seemed utterly pointless. All everyone could talk about was the events of the past week, and it was all Tyler could do to avoid the questioning mobs Jessica had set on him after her comments about Ka'len and Allie. 

_Seven years and I still can't figure you out Jessie…_ she had been downright hostile, at least Tyler thought, in her opinion of Allie before all this. But now that it gave her something to talk about, she was suddenly 'best friends' with the new girl. A claim to fame, pure and simple.

The teachers were just as bad as the other students. Everyone wanted to know about _them_. A ravenousness feeding frenzy in each class room, televisions going non-stop with the latest images from within the wondrous behemoth parked in the sky; some of the more philosophical minded instructors tried to keep a focused discussion going about what effects this event would have on history. Tyler could respect that, but it was no use, everyone was too caught up in mystery and fanciful speculation to focus on anything even remotely serious.

Most surprising of all was that anyone was even in the school. The whole of the rest of the city, except for a very small minority, were out oohing and ahhing with the massive gathering beneath the ship. The only reason anyone was at school was that there was less then two weeks until summer break and they wanted to pass. The only reason Tyler was there was that he needed something to take his mind off worrying about Allie.

A lost cause, considering how many times a minute Tyler heard someone say something about her. "She sat in front of me in English," or "her locker is only fifteen away from mine!" Annoying almost to the point of anger! Tyler felt like standing on a table and yelling out the truth so that they all could hear it. Anything to end the rumors and wild speculation. What good would that do though? They would all just find some other aspect that they know nothing about and preach on it like they were the final authority.

Sitting here, listening to it all only made Tyler worry more. He knew he should not, Ka'len had promised to come and get him the moment Allie woke up. And they were sure that would be any time now. Waiting was the hard part.

"Ty!" 

Tyler jumped a little at Jessica's sudden, attention grabbing outburst. "You coming to lunch?" she asked in a deceptively innocent tone.

"I don't know," Tyler closed his locker slowly, as if afraid it might break, "I'm not really hungry," he lied.

"You have to! We have so much to talk about…"

"I'm sure we do." Tyler started off down the hall, leaving Jessica slightly stunned.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing."

"What's wrong with you?" Jessica spoke with concern as she caught up and walked along with Tyler. "you seem different. Why wont you tell us what you saw?"

"Because I don't think its that important."

Jessica looked at him sideways with a lifted eyebrow, "not important? Um… do you remember the definition of important?"

"It's 'cause I don't want to explain it. I don't think I can." 

"But you were actually there when that big ship came down. You have to tell me what it was like!"

"No I don't."

"Please!" Jessica bounced in front of Tyler putting on her best puppy dog face, "I'll be your best friend for ever and ever and ever!"

Tyler stopped, smiled, "are we five years old now?" 

"Yes," Jessica dropped her head and pouted her lips.

_Oh no… not that. _Tyler thought. There was no one on earth that could resist the lethal combination of puppy face and pouty mouth!

"You are not going to leave me alone until I tell you, are you?" _resist her, damnit!_

"No!"

"Fine…"

"Really!?" Jessica squealed as Tyler started back toward the large glass doors at the end of the hall.

"In a way." Tyler reached the doors and was outside before Jessica could catch up. 

"What way?" she said, blowing out of the building and running to rejoin Tyler.

"When Allie is better. I'll see if I can get you on the ship."

"But…" Jessica almost choked. 

"I can't explain it, like I said. You have to see it for yourself."

"But…"

"What?" _is she scared?_

Jessica didn't Answer, just looked at her feet. Tyler waited what he thought was at least a minute, watching her stand there on the stairs.

"If you're afraid, you don't have to go… I don't even know if they'll let you."

Jessica looked up, "its not that…" the indecision was clear on her voice, "not really. I just… I don't know."

"Do you want to see?" 

"Yes."

Jessica started down the stairs, but immediately jumped back, Tyler did too; a big orb of white energy formed on the sidewalk only ten feet from him. A figure, shadowy at first, but slowly gaining substance, stepped out of the light. Short and gray, covered in slick gray skin. Jessica screamed and tripped over a step, falling backwards onto the stairs. It took several moments for Tyler to recognize the being.

"Ka'len?"

She gave conformation with a quick nod. Tyler's hopes were already soaring just from her presence. She didn't have to say a word for him to know that…

"Allie is awake. I will take you to her." Ka'len shifted just enough to see the panic stricken girl on the steps behind Tyler.

"Um…" Tyler pointed over his shoulder at Jessica, "uh, is it okay if she comes?"

"She does not react well to my appearance… is it wise?"

_Asking me? _Tyler turned back to Jessica, "if you want to see, you need to come now. There's nothing to be afraid of."

Jessica nodded while swallowing the lump that had formed in her throat. By now a substantial crowd had gathered at the windows and the doors, all watching the scene with amazement. 

_Get used to it people…_ Tyler thought that the amount of video that flooded every channel on the television for the past few days should have already desensitized people from reactions like Jessica's. Some people scare easily though…

"I know… it just suppressed me." Jessica cautiously approached, never taking her eyes off of the small gray alien standing in front of the glowing mass of energy.

Tyler extended a hand toward his friend, which she took with only a little hesitation. Jessica opened her mouth to say something but the energy of that orb flared up quickly, engulfing them all and whisking them off the sidewalk in the blink of an eye.

* * *

"All those people…" Allie's voice had a far-away, dreamy quality, and she knew it; but she was still amazed by the reaction Charlie and Mary had described to her. Blacking out in the woods with Keith, and waking up a week later to the familiar ozone scented air of the Sally was shock enough. But this! Everything she had felt so pressured to do, already done, and in one weeks time. 

"Have there been any problems?" Allie asked.

"Nothing major yet," Mary replied, "there were a few riots in Europe and the Middle East, some casualties."

_Some casualties… _"How many?"

Mary thought for a moment, "I think the last count I heard was somewhere around one-hundred."

Allie felt a pang of sadness. Casualties were to be expected in such a radical social change; there is always some group, usually religious, that fears change so much that they resort to violence. All the preparation for this task had helped to desensitize Allie to the inevitability of pointless deaths as a result of what she would reveal. But it was still sad. 

"There was nothing anyone here could do to stop it. It's not your fault…" Charlie said

__

Dad… thanks for trying. "I know," Allie stopped him, "it's just that it didn't have to happen… and its sad, that's all."

"It is very sad," Mary agreed, "but we should expect more… its just human nature."

"Those people made a choice; their fate was in their own hands and they chose death. We should not give them a second thought."

"Oh…" Mary was mildly shocked by Allie's bluntness, "I guess your right."

Allie glanced down to the two books on the pedestal beside her, picked up the one by Tom, "why didn't you tell me about this earlier?" she ran her hand over the cover.

"Honestly," Charlie let out a short chuckle, "we forgot… it was such a wonderfully shocking event, getting you back, that it slipped our minds."

Allie smiled, "I understand completely." Her eyes shifted back to the book for several seconds, then she almost whispered: "I think I'm ready to see everyone now."

"I'll go…" Mary started to walk off.

"Wait." Charlie stopped her, "I think I should be the one to tell Lisa… nothing against you… it's just."

"No, I understand…" Mary said with a kind smile, "it's okay." 

Allie watched Charlie with thoughtful anticipation in her eyes, which Charlie correctly identified as her longing to see Lisa and the others. With no more words, a trait of the Xean's he was trying to emulate, Charlie nodded to Mary and left the room. Several minutes passed in silence as Allie waited for Mary to formulate what ever it was she needed to say. 

The view from the window still called out to Allie, summoning her to look out on the small sample of what the future would bring. Millions of excited people watching in awe as the Sally did nothing but simply hover. 

_What will their reaction be when they see the big ships?_ Allie thought as she stood and slowly walked, step by deliberated step to the ledge in front of the crystal membrane wall. _Even the medium sized transports have docking room for two Staris class._

Mary had given up trying to phrase her statement, and she asked a question instead: "what did you do to Sheppard out there?"

Allie thought about explaining it in depth, but a summary seemed more appropriate: "I told him the truth."

Mary laughed as she came up to the window beside Allie, "Truth is a very powerful weapon then."

"It is." Allie said with no feeling in her voice. She was too lost in the view, and her thoughts. She knew Mary could sense the sadness, and for once, Allie was not afraid for someone else to know what she really felt about all this. 

"You're very lucky, you know." Mary said.

"No… I'm not."

"I think you are. I'd trade places with you in a nanosecond."

"Then you are an idiot." Allie reached up and wiped a sleeve across her eyes as a small laugh concealed the beginnings of a sob.

"Maybe I am."

"I heard you say you accepted a cabinet position from the president." Allie said, trying to put up a mock-cheery demeanor.

_She doesn't want me to see…_ Mary thought. No need to force Allie to say anything she was not ready for. Mary played along: "ah, see. You got conformation… I am an idiot!" 

Allie laughed slightly. "No, I think you're a good person for the job."

Mary's smile faded. She really was concerned about the girl. Imagination was not enough to even get a clue as to what was going through her mind. "You really don't want to do this, do you?" she asked.

Allie silently stared out the window for a while. Mary was about to try another of her silly jokes when Allie sighed and said: "the whole time I was with the Xean's, those five years, all I dreamed of was living a normal life. I imagined having friends, and doing all the stupid, pointless stuff that normal kids do." Allie's attempts at hiding the pain failed as a tear broke loose and ran down her cheek. "When you look at it, all that 'stupid and pointless' stuff is not stupid or pointless at all when you never get to do it."

Mary should have been excited; a window into Allie's innermost self had just opened for her. But instead, she shared the regret that Allie spoke of, "I know…" she said slowly, "I was a major bookworm, a nerd, as a little girl. I only did some of those 'stupid and pointless' things. It was always about grades. Damned grades! Anything to try and win my fathers approval… a loosing battle. Sometimes I wonder how my life would be different if I would have actually lived it."

Allie glanced up at Mary; it was more then a little strange that they had this in common. Allie had noticed many things she and Mary shared, fear of failure, for one; fierce determination, and goal oriented thinking. Now, regret for a missed life could be added to that list. 

"I guess I always knew that 'normal' was not something I was capable of. Still, I wanted to hold onto that dream… But now, I have to forget it."

"Don't talk like that." Mary sat on the ledge, facing Allie, "you're still young. Forgotten dreams are for old people, like me…" that managed to get a small smile from Allie, "you can still make it happen."

"How? Change the definition of normal?" Allie asked sarcastically.

"Why not? You already changed much more then the meaning of a little six letter word."

"Like what?" 

"Well, you changed me, for one. And Keith, he's pretty much unrecognizable… you're about to change the entire world. I think the precedent is there."

"Maybe…"

Silence came once again as Mary's eyes scanned the room. So clean and efficient. The only visible things in the room were the ledge she sat on and that strange table platform. Everything else was hidden away in the silvery-gray walls until it was needed. 

It was that slight pause that allowed Mary to complete the composition of her earlier statement: "I always thought that this, and you, were my legacy." Mary turned, eyes stopping on Allie's face briefly, then she looked out across the hills toward the city. "This was _my_ mark on history! Passed down from my grandfather to my father, then to me… I was wrong. Very wrong… This is all about you. This is your mark on history, your legacy, passed down from your parents and it will be passed from you." Mary turned back to Allie, "hundreds, even thousands of years from now, kids will study you in history classes… your name will be remembered forever, alongside great figures like George Washington, and Albert Einstein… even long after they are forgotten. If you don't think your lucky, then you truly are a more humble person then me and almost everyone else on the planet."

"My legacy…" Allie whispered. _I never thought of it that way… everything that happens now will be attributed to me, all those people will know my name, everyone…_ "I guess… you're right. But does that really make me lucky?"

Mary shrugged. _No use convincing the girl!_

"If I am to hold onto that dream of being normal, and all of history from this point on will have it's eye on me, and remember me as anything but; what's the point?"

At that moment, the door slid open. Allie took a deep breath and prepared to greet her Uncle Tom and the others, but turned to see Ka'len and a reluctant Tyler. Allie let out her breath without making a sound; all she could do was stare. Tyler was equally afflicted. It took Ka'len's determination to break the tense silence.

"Mary Crawford, I require your assistance." She gestured at the door.

Mary's eyes darted from Allie, across to Ka'len and finally settled on Tyler before she understood what the alien girl was trying to do here. She nodded once then bent in close to whisper in Allie's ear.

"Here's a very good chance for you to find the point… he's cute." With that, Mary left a startled and embarrassed Allie in her wake and left with Ka'len. What seemed like an eternity passed between the time they exited and Allie coaxed her body to take another breath. Tyler looked to be more confident...

It did not come out in his unsteady voice though: "I… I guess we, uh… kind of missed our 'date'." He laughed nervously while easing his way across the strange floor; so slick looking, yet it felt like rubber under his shoes. 

"We did…" Allie felt her cheeks flush; she turned to the window so Tyler would not see. This reeked of a set up, a Ka'len conspiracy… or maybe it was a conspiracy of her own hearts design. _Stop beating so fast!_

"I wouldn't mind trying again… if you still want to?"

"Tyler…" Allie sighed. How to say this without hurting him?

"If you don't, I understand…"

_The way he moves and the way he speaks are entirely opposite… _voice so unsure, searching, almost apologetic; but his feet continued to carry him confidently closer to her. 

"We can't…" Allie turned to look at him, but it was too much. _his eyes!_ "I can't do this… I can't do this to you."

"Do what?"

It should be obvious… Allie did not want to say it. Part of her really wanted to give into this thing that was trying to happen. Not just a part, all of her wanted it! But the consequences… how could she knowingly let him be a part of it? She turned to face him, eyes be damned! "I don't want you to get hurt! Nothing can ever be normal…"

"I don't care about normal… normal is boring."

_Does he not understand what is right in front of him? _"I'm not even human!" the words flew from Allie's mouth with passion that surprised even her. "I'm not one of you…"

"I know," Tyler stopped, and Allie noticed just how close that confident walk had brought him. The look on his face said it all, but Tyler spoke the words anyway: "I know all about you… and your family. I don't care."

"How…" _is it even possible? _"How can you not care?"

"Because…" the first sign of hesitation in his posture, "I…" what did he have to say that was that hard?

"I love you."

Allie forgot what argument she was about to make; she forgot many things in that moment. Her mouth silently formed words, asking, 'you love me?' but no sound came out.

Tyler took another step, stopping less then a foot from Allie, "I think I have since you first ran into me at the zoo… don't ask me to explain."

"… Love me…" Allie's voice was a questioning whisper. She was not prepared for this… nothing had prepared her for this! Those three words broke down the already weak dam her consciousness had built around her emotions. She knew very well that she felt this indefinable attraction to him; a feeling that they were supposed to be together, that it had been planned since before either of them were born.

"Yes." Tyler moved out of instinct, bringing both hands up to rest on Allie's shoulders.

"I." Allie struggled with words, "do… too… I was afraid…" 

Tyler smiled warmly as Allie continued to construct her thoughts in the face of such a flood of thoughts and emotions.

"I don't know how to do this… I've never…"

"There's not much to it." Tyler's reassuring words mixed with the warmth of his touch told Allie all she needed to know. The only hold out was her core of Xean upper consciousness that still struggled to comprehend what was happening. 

"Yeah, but…"

Instinct silenced that Xean core as Allie spoke. Tyler leaned in, instincts closed Allie's eyes for her as their lips touched; and the magic of her first kiss shot through her entire body like a white-hot bolt of lightning. 

* * *

Epilogue:

_Tell him… you know it's true._ Lisa sat on the edge of the largest bed she had ever seen, inside one of the presidential suites of the beautiful Westin Embassy Row hotel in Washington D.C.. Charlie busied himself in the palatial bathroom, preparing for their evening activity. Dinner at the Whitehouse, as guest of President Alderson, for the fifth time over the past three weeks. Allie was making the most interesting friends… 

Lisa didn't care where they were going, or where they had been. It was all too surreal, borrowing Charlie's word. Lisa just knew what her body was telling her now, no little plastic wands required.

That night she and Charlie had shared was pure magic. Not better then usual, just different, for some reason. Lisa had the feeling then that there would be a consequence for such passion. Maybe 'consequence' was the wrong word. Never the less, Charlie had to know. It is not right to keep something this important from him for too much longer.

"Charlie… can I talk to you for a second?"

Charlie poked his head around the door while tying a tie, "one moment, almost ready…"

_It can wait a few more minutes…_

Time seemed to slow to a crawl and Lisa started to fidget. What would he say? It's not exactly bad news… just maybe it was happening at the wrong time. Things were already weird enough without starting over from scratch. 

Charlie came out of the bathroom in a jet-black suit with a white shirt and equally black tie. He held up both arms, "so, what do you think?"

"You look like a penguin, Charlie…" Lisa tried to keep a straight face, no use: "like a black and white penguin!"

"That obvious?" Charlie grinned.

Lisa's smile lasted only a few moments. As it slowly faded she motioned to the bed beside her, "we need to talk about something."

"Oh…" Charlie crossed to the bed and sat cautiously. "About what?"

Lisa sighed, "do you remember, two weeks ago… that night?"

Charlie thought for a moment before coming to the only conclusion Lisa's tone could possibly mean, "yes, I do." He nudged her arm suggestively

"Well… do you remember what we discussed after Allie left?"

"You'll have to be more specific. We discussed a lot of things."

"Okay… about children, and not having another because we didn't want to relive the nightmare again, or put another child in Allie's situation."

Charlie shared Lisa's seriousness now, "yeah… I remember that."

Lisa placed her hand over Charlie's on the bed, "do you think that still matters? Putting a child in Allie's situation…"

"What are you trying to say?" Charlie asked only because he wanted to hear it, he already knew where this was going and it filled him with joy.

"Charlie…" Lisa took a deep breath, "I'm pregnant."

To Be Continued…

* * *

A/N: that was fun! Anyway, the alert reader will have already deduced the reason why the sequel will be named "Forgotten Dreams". 

FD will follow off the end of Legacy, after three years, and that's all I'm at liberty to divulge at this point. Stay tuned to the Taken page of this wonderful site, FanFiction.net, for further word. I hope to have a piece of FD ready for posting in the next few weeks, could be two, could be a month… it takes me a while to get a story line moving. 

I hope everyone enjoyed reading Legacy as much as I loved writing it. The reviews were magnificent! Please, keep em coming. Take this opportunity to really rip the plot apart and tell me what's wrong with it (it should be very easy). Your reviews and suggestions will assist me in getting FD off the ground quicker then I can alone. 

Again, I cannot thank you all enough for the reviews! 

And now, I must depart! Future works beckon me to move on. TTFN! 


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